SPELLBREAKER DATA: VERSION 1.0
Council Chamber
You are in the Council Chamber of the ancient Guild Hall at Borphee. To the south is
the entry of the Guild Hall. (There is a meeting of the Guildmasters going on. You
are standing among a group of about ten sorcerers, each the master of an
Enchanters Guild chapter somewhere in the land.)/(Scurrying wetly hither and yon
around you are many brightly colored newts, efts, and salamanders. Toads and
frogs hop excitedly about.)
SORCERER
ORKAN OF THRIFF
SNEFFLE
HOOBLY
GZORNENPLATZ
ARDIS
SHADOWY FIGURE
(wait) Sneffle of the Guild of Bakers is addressing the gathering. "Do you know what
this is doing to our business? Do you know how difficult it is to make those yummy
butter pastries by hand? When a simple 'gloth' spell would fold the dough 83 times it
was possible to make a profit, but now 'gloth' hardly works, and when it does, it usua
folds the dough too often and the butter melts, or it doesn't come out the right size,
or..." He stops, apparently overwhelmed by the prospect of a world where the pastri
have to be hand-made. "Can't you do anything about this? You're supposed to know
about magic!"
(wait) Hoobly of the Guild of Brewers stands, gesturing at the floury baker. "You don'
know what trouble is! Lately, what comes out of the vats, like as not, is cherry flavore
or worse. The last vat, I swear it, tasted as if grues had been bathing in it. It takes ma
to turn weird vegetables and water into good Borphee beer. Well, without magic, the
isn't going to be any beer!" This statement has a profound effect on portions of the
crowd. You can hear rumblings from the back concerning Enchanters. The word
"traitors" rises out of nowhere. Your fellow Enchanters are looking at one another
nervously.
(wait) A tall, gruff fellow begins to speak. This is Gzornenplatz of the Guild of Huntsm
"I'm a simple man, and I don't know much about magic. But I do know that the wild
beasts are kept out of the towns and villages not just by the huntsmen, but by spells
well. Just yesterday, one of my men was attacked and badly wounded by a troop of r
ants. They'd slipped the bounds set down by a 'fripple' spell somehow. Are we going
let the sorcerers loose rat-ants on us, and worse?" He sits, glaring significantly at the
now-angry clump of mages around you.
(wait) As the huntsman's accusations are being absorbed and discussed, Ardis of the
Guild of Poets takes the floor. He begins to talk about magic rhyming and spelling aid
and their lack.
In the midst of his splendid peroration, just as he was sketching out an insulting
mythological allusion in iambic hexameter, the poet turns even greener than usual. H
chin elongates and his skin begins to look sort of slimy. In the blink of an eye there
stands at the podium, not the orator, but rather a large orange newt. "Breek! Co-ax!
Co-ax!" it protests.
As you look around the room in shock, you discover that Ardis is not alone. Each and
every guildmaster in the room has been turned into a frog, salamander, or other
amphibian! All but one, that is: yourself!
No! There is one other survivor. At the rear of the room, a shadowy figure in a dark
cloak slips quietly out the door.
(try to leave) Annoyed guildmasters make way grudgingly. You hear muttering about
"arrogant enchanters" as you try to leave the chamber. Finally , Orkan of Thriff, one o
your colleagues, says, "Stay. Be quiet. Don't embarrass us.
(orkan, hello) "Please! You should at least pretend to pay attention to these fools,"
whispers Orkan.
(cast spell) Orkan of Thriff stares at you in wonderment. "Are you trying to get them
even more mad at us?" He makes a gesture of cancellation before you can finish the
spell.
(?) Orkan doesn't reply.
(?) Orkan of Thriff quiets you. "Interruptions will only annoy them."
(?) Orkan of Thriff easily subdues you without causing undue disruption.
(?) Orkan of Thriff grabs you and prevents your antisocial deed.
(?) Realizing how insulting you are being to the speaker, you try to stifle the yawn.
(examine orkan) Orkan of Thriff is a large bear-like gentleman dressed in the tradition
garb of a mage.
(examine orkan) Orkan is now a hellbender.
(?) Orkan is listening to the speaker and suggests you do the same.
(?) You get a vague impression of hunger and annoyance at being dry.
(?)is addressing the meeting.
(?)is speaking.
(?) is making a speech.
(?) is listening to the speaker.
(examine sorcerer) The mages, grouped loosely near you, are listening to the speake
(examine sorcerer) The former mages are scuttling hither and yon across the floor.
(count) There are about ten, including you and Orkan of Thriff, the most eminent of t
group, now that Belboz has retired.
(count) It's hard to tell. I assume there are still about ten.
(?) There are about ten of them around, including yourself.
(?) They are hopping around so wildly it's hard to do anything with them.
(?) I think you had too much punch at lunch. There's no such thing here.
(examine sneffle) Sneffle is a small doughy gentleman whose person is splotched her
and there with flour.
(sneffle, hello) "Interrupting, eh? This is precisely what I was talking about!" snorts
Sneffle.
(examine sneffle) Sneffle is now a tree toad.
(yomin sneffle) Sneffle is searching intently for flies.
(sneffle, hello) "Breep!")
(examine hoobly) Hoobly is a large, florid, and solid-looking fellow who gives the
appearance of being one of his own better customers.
(hoobly, hello) "Your manners leave something to be desired! PERSON is speaking!"
remarks Hoobly.
(?) Hoobly pointedly ignores you.
(examine) Hoobly has become a salamander.
(hello) "Ssss!"
(YOMIN) You get a strong feeling of torpidity.
(examine Gzornenplatz) Gzornenplatz is a tall, whipcord thin man with sandy blond
hair. He is dressed in the traditional lincoln green of huntsmen.
(hello) Gzornenplatz glares at you. "No doubt you don't wish the speakers to be hear
This is what I expect from such as you!""
(examine) Gzornenplatz has become a leopard frog.
(hello) "Braaaak! Gleep?"
(YOMIN) You feel a strong impression of intent, careful stalking of a beetle.
(examine Ardis) Ardis is the muscular sort of poet (as opposed to the neurasthenic). H
sports a full black beard, wild hair, and talks in a loud voice.
(hello) "You must wait your turn!" screams Ardis.
(examine) Ardis has become a newt.
(hello) Ardis is uninterested.
(YOMIN) You get a feeling of surprise and terror.
Guild Hall
This is the entrance to the Guild Hall in Borphee. To the north is the Council
Chamber, and to the south is an exit leading outside. (Little is left of the sumptuous
buffet lunch. Only a loaf of bread and some smoked fish remains.)
CHUNK OF RYE BREAD
SMOKED FISH
Belwit Square
This is Belwit Square. (Its many historic and picturesque buildings are obscured by a
(find figure) There is no sign of such a person.
(?) The Guild will be surprised to hear you don't know.
(?) There is a figure wearing a dark cloak on the other side of the room, but almost th
moment you catch sight of it, it disappears.
(?) Out of the corner of your eye, you see the dark-cloaked figure. At first oblivious to
you, it straightens up, startled and surprised, then vanishes.
A shadowy figure in a dark cloak is running out the door.
The shadowy figure, its cloak billowing, charges south in Belwit Square.
(wait) Out in the square, there is a crashing noise like an explosion, and then a wisp o
orange smoke drifts in through the door.
A shadowy figure in a dark cloak flees across the square.
The sinister figure, its face hidden in the shadows of a dark cowl, turns to face you. It
nonchalantly jumps into the air, where it is engulfed in a huge explosion. A thick and
cloud of orange smoke.)/(To the north is the ancient Guild Hall. A wide cobblestone
street runs east and west. To the south is the storied Manse, home of the Mayors of
Borphee for generations.)
GUARD
MANSE
[CLOUD OF ORANGE SMOKE]
[EARTH CUBE]
acrid cloud of orange smoke fills the square. There is no sign of the figure.
(follow figure) Where it went, I doubt you can follow.
(examine smoke) This is a fairly standard cloud of orange smoke, a side effect of a
certain class of teleportation spells. These spells are favored by those of a less than
honest nature, as the cloud of orange smoke serves to conceal their usually hasty
departures.
(smell smoke) It smells vaguely of orange peels, but the predominant motif is less
pleasant and more acrid.
(LESOCH smoke) A small gust of wind begins to roil the cloud. The cloud is unimpress
The wind builds, slowly but inexorably, to hurricane force. The cloud starts to unrave
the edges, and then gives up and dissipates. Left behind on the ground is a small
featureless white cube.
(?) in the middle of it.
(DIRECTION) You can’t see well enough to find your way out.
(look) You can’t see anything, what with the smoky orange cloud that blankets the
square.
(drop OBJ) Dropped, but you lose it in the smoke.
(wait for awhile) The orange smoke dissipates almost as suddenly as it arrived. Left
behind on the cobblestones is a small featureless white cube.
(east/west) You wander around for a while and end up back in the square.
(south) A remarkably surly guard blocks your way.
(examine manse) It is a large, imposing building of great age.
(enter manse) The manse is closed to the public.
(examine guard) He looks very zealous.
(talk to) The guard ignores you, intent on his duty.
Boneyard
This is a room of bones. Shoulder blades make up the floor, skulls the walls and leg
bones the door frames. The west exit leads into darkness, but the doorway to the
north opens onto a seemingly normal street scene.
Packed Earth
This is a small room crudely constructed of packed earth, mud, and sod. Crudely
framed openings of wood tied with leather thongs lead off in each of the four
cardinal directions, and a muddy hole leads down.
HOLE
Hall of Stone
This is a long hall built of crudely dressed stone. The blocks are as tall as you and the
ceiling invisible in the gloom above. Dirt trickles from gaps in the walls and ceiling.
The atmosphere is oppressive, and there is a dry, stale smell all around. The
corridor extends north and south from here.
Ruins Room
Here the main corridor opens into a vast underground space. Your light can barely
illuminate a fraction of it. All around are cyclopean blocks of stone, crudely carved
statues, and constructs of unimaginable purpose. Nearby the portico of a building
has collapsed, and a pillar has smashed the pavement and exposed a small channel
filled with swiftly rushing water. Water stains indicate that at one time the water
flooded the entire area. [Wedged against a pillar, as though by rushing water, is a
zipper.]
CHANNEL
ZIPPER
(attack) That would be incredibly dangerous.
(give) Trying to bribe the guard, eh?
(cast spell) Nothing happens, as the mayoral guards are quite well-protected from
spells.
(west) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force you
way through it.
(down) You pull back at the edge, noticing just in time that the hole in the floor open
into thin air which goes a long way down before anything solid is reached.
(down again will go there)
(north) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force yo
way through it.
(smell) It smells dry and stale.
(examine stone/blocks) This place has been abandoned for centuries. It is a molderin
ruin.
(south) The ruins end here.
(examine statues/blocks/portico/pillar) This place has been abandoned for centuries
is a moldering ruin.
(?)This place is abandoned and falling into ruin.
(examine channel) The channel is ceramic, about a foot in diameter, and smashed at
the top where a huge pillar destroyed the paving above it.
(enter water/channel) Trying to wet your tootsies, eh? Well, you dabble your feet in
water for a while, but they get pretty cold, and water splashes on the floor.
(Drink water) That was refreshing, but you shouldn't drink untested water.
(feel water) It’s wet.
Smooth Room
Here a long north-south corridor meets an east-west cross corridor whose walls are
polished to almost mirror smoothness. Just to your north (is a huge scaly mass
which fills the entire cross corridor. Its thickness is more than three times your
height and its length is unguessable.)/(is a large snake whose head pokes out of one
side of the cross corridor and the tip of whose tail pokes out the other side. You can
see that ahead is more of the crudely built main hall, and beyond that is a dark are.)
SERPENT
(?)You fall asleep and then drown.
(return to room) You emerge underwater, amidst a dim and blurry vision of drowned
columns. You drown as well.
(entering) The scaly wall begins to move, undulating back and forth in the confined
space. A musty odor permeates the air, and you hear scales scraping on stone. Finally
an enormous head slides into view from the east and stops with one monstrous eye
staring coldly at you. You notice something unusual about the huge serpent: the tail,
which trails out of the western hole, disappears into the gaping maw of the creature.
You realize that the monster must be huge enough to make a complete loop!
(north) The serpent completely fills the passage.
(north while small) The snake is pleasurably stretching its mouth and rippling its scaly
body in the unaccustomed space. It barely hisses as you go by.
(east/west) The serpent fills the entire corridor. There is no space to squeeze by.
(east/west while small) Avoiding the snake, you carefully head east/west. The corrido
is smooth and circular. It eventually leads back to where you started.
(Examine serpent) It is huge, filling the entire corridor it occupies. It stares at you
balefully, hissing like a small steam engine. It appears completely unconcerned that i
has swallowed its own tail.
(examine eye) The eye stares balefully at you.
(touch serpent) The steel-like scales are cool to the touch.
(attack serpent) The steel-like scales are impervious to your puny strength.
(talk to) "Sssss..." You can't understand the serpent.
(listen to) It sounds like a leaky steam engine.
(take) The creature is taller than a house, and longer than the tallest tree is tall.
(throw) OBJ hits the snake and drops to the floor.
(climb) The scales are too slippery, and the serpent's eye fixes you with a stare that
removes much of your interest in getting that close.
(FROTZ) The snake glows dimly as the spell stretches to cover it, but then the glow
winks out.
(GIRGOL) The snake freezes in place, as though a particularly good statue of itself had
been put in its place. However, it still completely blocks the passage.
(YOMIN) The serpent is bored, constricted, and caged. It's in a surly mood, thinking o
its past. It was once a simple temple snake, well fed on sacrifices. It was too well fed,
for it grew great, and its pride grew as well. For declaring itself the greatest of snakes
was prisoned here, forced to swallow its own tail in mimicry of the true master of
serpents. That was an age ago.
(YOMIN while small) The serpent is almost overcome by the sheer joy of being able t
writhe and stretch.
(ESPNIS) The snake yawns briefly, but the spell is too attenuated by the creature's hu
mass to do more.
(SNAVIG) The spell strains to change you into a serpent, but you're just too small.
Finally, you snap back to your normal appearance, and you feel very, very tired.
(LISKON)The serpent shrinks. You can see it thinning out, filling less and less of the
corridor. At first it doesn't seem to be growing any shorter, but then you realize that
this isn't true. It has swallowed so much of its own tail that it makes up the deficiency
by disgorging more tail. Finally, just before the spell stops, the tail tip slips out of the
snake's mouth and almost disappears down the western corridor.
(examine while LISKON) The snake is no longer gargantuan. Its tail sticks out one side
the corridor and its head the other, no longer filling the corridor.
(LISKON wears off) The serpent slowly and jerkily returns to its former size, swallowin
its tail again in the process.
North of Serpent
Here a long north-south corridor meets an east-west cross corridor whose walls are
polished to almost mirror smoothness. Just to your south (is a huge scaly mass
which fills the entire cross corridor. Its thickness is more than three times your
height and its length is unguessable.)/(is a large snake whose head pokes out of one
side of the cross corridor and the tip of whose tail pokes out the other side. You can
see that ahead is more of the crudely built main hall, and beyond that is a dark are.)
SERPENT
Temple
This is a ruined temple to a forgotten god. Black basalt pillars reach to the ceiling,
but some are broken and lie in huge fragments on the ground. The air is stale and
filled with the odor of decay. Bats roost in the rafters, the only remaining
worshippers. Before the temple stands a tall basalt idol in the form of a huge
rodent. Its fang-bedecked mouth is (open slightly, exposing teeth and
tongue.)/(closed tightly.)/(open in an embarrassing yawn.)
RODENT IDOL
OPAL EYE [OPEN SHARD]
FANGS
MOUTH [AIR CUBE]
(smell) It smells of decay, rot, and centuries-long accumulation of bat guano.
(examine idol) The idol is carved of black basalt. It is about twenty feet tall and
represents a gigantic and ferocious rodent-like creature with sharp teeth and one
staring (opalescent eye)/(, empty eye socket). The sculpture is rough enough to offer
climbing holds. [Oddly, the idol is yawning, its mouth gaping open.]/[It is curled up
comfortably asleep.]
The idol is sculpted as though sound asleep.
(take) The idol reaches all the way to the ceiling and is made of basalt. This is beyond
your strength.
(?) The idol is stonelike to the touch.
(climb) You can find enough holds to climb all the way up to the head, where you gaz
warily at the idol's mouth.
(climb again) You are clinging to the idol already.
(down/get off) You climb off the idol.
(jump) You carelessly leap off the idol.
(climb while alive) The idol notices you! It crushes you to jelly, even though you aren
bat.
(climb sleeping idol) Okay, you are now on the sleeping idol.
(MALYON idol) The idol quivers, comes to life, and begins looking suspiciously (and
hungrily) around. Fortunately it doesn't notice you.
(MALYON again) It looks pretty animated to me.
(wait) The idol is looking around the room, searching for something. No doubt it's yo
It looks a little stiff, but for former basalt, it's pretty supple.
(wait) The idol turns back into basalt.
(MALYON while climbing on it) The idol quivers, comes to life, [swallows,] [gets to its
feet] and notices you climbing on it (no doubt from the itching). It grabs for you, and
you try to escape. Its razor-sharp claws snatch you up to its greedy mouth [where yo
can see the white cube on its tongue as you are swallowed.]
(YOMIN awake idol) You sense a raging anger at the abandonment of its temple, a
desire for the destruction of its former worshippers, and an incandescent hatred for
bats.
(YOMIN awake idol after ESPNIS) You sense a great tiredness, as though these few
exertions dissipated a thousand years of strength.
(ESPNIS) The idol doesn't seem to be very wakeful to me.
(ESPNIS while MALYONed) The rodent idol suddenly looks very tired and begins to
yawn. You can see the idol fighting it but losing.
(LISKON) While the idol appears to be made of "malyoned" basalt, it must actually be
made of something denser, as this spell has no effect on it.
(SNAVIG idol) You grow huge, fanged and angry. Then you turn into basalt. The
outcome is fatal.
(wait) The idol is looking sleepy and tired.
(wait) The idol is yawning sleepily, its mouth gaping open.
(wait) The idol curls up comfortably and falls asleep on the floor.
It has been caught in a cheek-stretching yawn.
(examine eye) The eye glows opalescently in the light. (It is near the top of the idol,
nearly twenty feet up, but it still looks large even at this distance.)/(The color may be
attributed to the fact that the eye is actually an opal of enormous size.)
(take eye) You scratch at the setting for a while without success.
(pry out eye with OBJ) OBJ doesn't appear equal to the task.
(pry out eye with knife) The opal pops out of the eye socket. It is teetering on the edg
of the cruel and pointy nose of the idol, ready to fall.
(again) It is already tottering, ready to fall, and trying to pry it again just hastens the
inevitable.
(any action without taking it) The opal totters one last time and falls. You (grab for it
frantically)/(try to catch it), it escapes your grip and smashes into a million pieces on
the idol's foot.
(examine fangs) They are razor sharp.
(break) The teeth are stone hard.
(examine mouth)
The mouth is slightly open. In the narrow space between the fangs you can see a fat,
pointed tongue. [Sitting on the tongue is a cube.]
The mouth is shut tight.
The mouth is wide open in an almost parodic yawn. The tongue stretches out of the
mouth, and the fangs are far apart.
(open) Not a chance.
(REZROV) There's no hinge there; it's not a door!
(?) It won't fit.
(?) The outcome would be fatal.
(?) The idol's mouth is shut tightly.
(take cube) You can see the cube, tantalizingly close, but your (hand is too big to fit
between the razor-sharp teeth)/(arm is too short to reach). If only its mouth were
open! Glancing at the size of the fangs, maybe it's just as well.
Cliff Middle
A narrow ledge, barely wide enough to stand on, interrupts the cliff here.
Cliff Bottom
This is the bottom of a sheer cliff which towers above you. Jumbled rockfalls are all
around you. A goat track (at best) leads up, and a well-worn trail heads west.
(sleep on idol) You stretch out in the arms of the rodent idol and drift off….
(bad DIRECTION) The path leads up or down. There is a sheer cliff elsewhere.
(examine rocks/cliff) The rocks look very precariously balanced.
(down) You're at the bottom already.
(east, south) There's no path that way.
(examine rocks/cliff) The rocks look very precariously balanced.
Cave Entrance
A well-worn trail terminates here where a cave enters the cliff-side to the north.
Outside the cave is a litter of bones, old hides and brush. The smell that issues from
the cave is mephitic. To the east is the bottom of a sheer cliff.
Cave
This is a natural fissure in the rock which was enlarged with crude skill into a
spacious and comfortable room, at least if you're fond of caves. The floor is dirt,
hard packed in some parts, loose in others. A low passage leads down. [A large ogre
bars the passage.]
[A large ogre rolls uncomfortably on the floor, sneezing loudly]
[A large ogre stands immobile in the passage, caught in mid-sneeze.] (GIRGOL)
[A large ogre snores noisily here.]
(examine rocks/cliff) The rocks look very precariously balanced.
(smell) It smells horrific. The sanitary habits of ogres are appalling.
(emit1,2) You hear a noise from within the cave that sounds like (a sneeze)/(snoring)
(emit3) You hear explosive sneezing from the cave.
(down) The ogre moves quickly to bar your way. [He may be small, but he's still
dangerous.]
(down2) You saunter nonchalantly past the ogre.
(smell) It smells even worse inside than it did outside, as hard as that is to credit.
(emit1) The ogre sneezes.
(emit2) The ogre snores loudly.
(emit3) The ogre doubles over in a spectacular paroxysm of sneezing.
(wait too long) The ogre, impatient with your presence and your impudent intrusion
[charges in and] tramples you to a pulp.
(examine ogre) This is a fairly typical mountain ogre. His carbuncles are a brilliant
purple, and his hair is matted down with something slick and unpleasant-smelling. Hi
eyes are watering and his nose is running, which doesn't make him any more attracti
His whole body is covered by dirty brown fur. He looks like a particularly ill-favored
bear. [He and all his surroundings are frozen in place.] [He is currently six inches of
concentrated ugliness.]
(smell) You would put your nasal cavity at great risk.
(talk to 1) The ogre grunts nastily at you.
(talk to 2) There is no reply.
(talk to ?) He is in no position to respond.
(attack) The ogre contemptuously fends you off.
(attack 3) The ogre's hide is thick, and your attack only tickles him
(attack 2) The ogre wakes at the first touch!
(attack ?while GIRGOL?) There is no effect. It's like attacking a statue.
(give weed) The ogre shrinks back and lets go an explosive sneeze.
(listen to 1) The ogre sounds [(extremely)/(somewhat)] congested and sneezy.
(listen to 2) The ogre sounds very quiet.
(listen to 2) The ogre sounds like he is snoring.
(YOMIN) You get the impression of discomfort and annoyance. This is apparently not
just for the usual ogreish reasons (general nastiness, bad temper, and lice) but becau
the ogre is suffering from hay fever.
(GIRGOL) The ogre, who was gesticulating wildly, freezes in place. He looks like a
particularly bad statue of himself. Even his lice aren't moving.
(SNAVIG) You become just as ugly, bellicose, and sneezy as the ogre. [The ogre is eve
less inclined to let you by.]
(smell ogre after SNAVIG ogre) You are completely congested and can't smell a thing
This may explain why, in spite of their appalling sanitary habits, ogres are not extinct
(sleep here) I'd think twice before going to sleep in an ogre's cave.
(sleep here) You fall into a blissful sleep, yawning lazily, and while you are resting, the
ogre destroys you.
(plant weed, then THROCK it) As the weed grows, the ogre watches in horror.
"Ragweed!" he screams, and then his further comments are cut off by a volley of
sneezes like the reports of a small cannon. The ogre begins to rub his eyes, which are
watering horrifically, and his sneezes are monumental. He is totally oblivious to your
presence.
The ogre is asleep.
After a few seconds, you hear a muffled exclamation from within the cave, and then
volley of sneezes.
The pollen has settled out, and the ogre's sneezes abate.
The sneezing noises have slowed in volume and frequency.
Ogre Lair
This small but cozy hole is the ogre's lair. Moldy, filthy furs piled in one corner make
a crude bed. There is a rocky crawl up to the main part of the cave.
DUSTY SCROLL
GOLD BOX [WATER CUBE]
Cliff Top
This is the upper end of a narrow, winding path up a sheer cliff. From here you can
see that any further extension of the path was destroyed by a rock slide at some
relatively recent time. There are many rocks (precariously balanced above you. It
looks like the slightest disturbance could bring them down on you.)/(tumbling
towards you from above.)/(suspended in midair above you. Some are quite close.)
(Frustratingly, you can see the remains of a small building just beyond the
dangerous area, but there is no way to get there from here.)/(The hermit's hut is
above.)
ROCK
(enter in darkness?) In the dark you have blundered into something large, smelly, and
mean. It is annoyed by your intrusion and pounds you to a pulp.
What good is the ogre's club?
1. You could try attacking the ogre with it.
2. You could try hitting the lava fragment with it.
3. You could try examining your head, since there is no ogre's club!
(bad DIRECTION) The only path leads up or down. There is only a sheer cliff elsewher
(up) The pile of rocks looks so unsteady that attempting to climb over it could set off
avalanche.
(up) I don’t think you can climb up an avalanche.
(examine rocks/cliff) The rocks look very precariously balanced.)
(examine rocks/cliffs) Thousands of tons of rock are tumbling down the mountainside
(examine hut) The hut is barely visible.
(touch/LESOCH/MALYON rock)
(You gingerly touch)/(The wind whips up to a frenzy and touches)/(You animate) a ro
which tilts a little. Another rock slides into the gap, triggering a larger one to fall.
Suddenly, the entire mountainside begins to tumble down.
(take rock) Taken, but you drop it immediately when you see that your intemperate
action has triggered a rock slide.
(any action) Something you've done has disturbed the rocks above! Dirt and small
stones are trickling down. It looks like the whole dike is about to give way!
(1) Huge rocks and boulders are tumbling down, making an almost continuous
curtain above you. If you don't do something soon, you will die!
(2) You are swept away down the cliff face by thousands of tons of rock. A huge
cloud of dust blowing away down the valley is your only memorial.
(3) You hear the tremendous sliding, deep-voiced roar of thousands of tons of ro
tumbling down the mountain to your east.
(GIRGOL after pushing) At first, nothing happens. Then you notice that the rocks are
longer falling. Dust hangs suspended in the air. Rocks appear wired in place. The
mountainside that threatened to bury you floats serenely in midair.
(on boulder when GIRGOL wears off) Tons of rock and dirt continue towards their
rendezvous with the valley floor. Unfortunately, you are ground to nothingness when
they arrive for their appointment.
(?) Even frozen in place, the rocks are so jumbled that you can’t climb up them. You
would need full mountaineering equipment even to try.
Boulder (1)
You are clinging to a boulder that is floating in midair. There are many other
boulders around, also floating, and lots of dust and dirt, also not moving. One
particularly large boulder with good handholds is above you. Below you is the cliff
face.
Boulder (2)
You are clinging to a boulder that is floating in midair. There are many other
boulders around, also floating, and lots of dust and dirt, also not moving. A nice
oblong boulder is above, and another large one is below you.
Boulder (3)
You are clinging to a boulder that is floating in midair. There are many other
boulders around, also floating, and lots of dust and dirt, also not moving. Below you
is a long oblong boulder. Above you there are no more boulders, but there is a
continuation of the trail that you were on.
Mountain Top
This is the top of the mountain. There is (a crudely built)/(an imposing) stone hut
nearby to the west.
ROCK
STONE HUT
GOLD COIN
Stone Hut
The hut is made of irregular stones. The walls are chinked with moss, mud, small
stones, a featureless white cube, and an occasional old fur. There is an exit to the
east.
HERMIT (Squatting on the floor is a wild-haired, bearded hermit who is (looking at
you with ill-concealed dislike)/(admiring his perfect hut).)
SOFT CUBE
[The hut is beautifully constructed out of carefully dressed granite blocks and strong
mortar. The construction of the hut is somewhat at odds with the squalor of its
contents. There is an exit to the east.]
(examine hut) The hut is made of irregular stones much like those lying all around yo
There is an entrance to the west.
[The hut is beautifully constructed out of carefully dressed granite blocks and strong
mortar. There is an entrance to the west.]
(look in hut) You can’t see very much from out here. Why not go in?
(reach in hut) You reach in and hear a yell of surprise from inside.
Time resumes its forward flight.
You hear a gigantic rush of sound as an avalanche tumbles down the mountain.
Tons of rock and dirt continue their downward plunge.
(MALYON cube) The cube comes alive, wiggles free of the wall, and the hut collapses
top of you.
(take cube) The hermit springs between you and the cube. "Not so fast! That thing
holds up the whole hut. It's the keystone. Don't touch it."
(CASKLY hut) The hut begins to melt, the stones dripping down like wax and the dirt
spraying in all directions. (You hear a scream from inside the hut.)/("Now you've don
it, you meddlesome mage!" screams the hermit.) But then the stones start flowing ba
into place, and the dirt speeds into place between them, and all is changed. The hut
looks considerably different[, and the cube, no longer necessary, sits in lonely splend
on the ground between you and the hermit.]
(examine hermit) The old man is clothed in goatskin rags. He has a long, tangled bear
and dirty matted hair.
(smell) His last bath may well have been before you were born.
(talk to) He's a taciturn old buzzard and doesn't respond.
(ask about hermit, cube) "I've been living up here for many years. Wanted to get aw
from people. Too much noise, too much talk, too much jabber-jabber all the time. I'v
been building this hut for years, too. Couldn't find the right keystone. It would alway
Midair
You are in midair. (You are falling. You are)/(You are [flying] dizzyingly high) above a
trackless wilderness to the east of a range of jagged mountains.
ROC
Fortunately a very large bird is carrying you, otherwise you would fall.
Fortunately you are sitting on a magic carpet and thus are fairly safe.
You are in midair. You are flying above an abandoned guard tower.
…high above…
…very high above…
collapse after a while, so I never moved into it. I kept hoping to get it right some day;
training in stonemasonry. One day there was a presence on the mountain, like a clou
had come over. Then there was smoke, orange smoke, I think. The next day I found t
stone sitting on top of a rock not five minutes' walk from here. It was perfect.
(ask about avalanche) I like avalanches. They keep people away. Usually.
(YOMIN) The hermit is worried that you will rob him. He is very suspicious. He's been
here on the mountain for so long that his brains are slightly curdled.
(show cube) The hermit remarks "You've got one, too. What do you want with mine,
then?"
(show coin) "Materialism! That's another thing I was trying to get away from!" The
hermit looks glum.
(show fish/bread) That looks pretty good. I eat mostly berries, moss, and goat meat.
(give fish/bread) The hermit devours the OBJ with gusto. He belches. "That was a nic
change," he remarks.
(ask hermit for cube) "Not on your life. It's holding up the whole hut. It's perfect for
that chink. You don't know how long it took me to find it."
(ask hermit for cube2) "Sure, take it." He's distracted by his admiration for his newly
perfected dwelling.
(no carpet) You have begun to fall.
(down) You have little choice.
(Suddenly, from above, you are hit by a crashing blow! You twist and see that a huge
bird has taken you in its talons. The)/(The bird dives for you, its talons outstretched.
it nears, you realize that rather than vulture or even condor size, the) bird is nearly th
size of an elephant. It closes its huge claws gently around you, squawks (nearly
suffocating you with its fetid breath), and takes off towards the west.
(action while in roc) The roc grips you firmly in its talons. Your (struggles)/(attempts t
cast a spell) just make it hold you tighter.
(examine roc) The roc is a female of enormous size. It resembles a huge raptor, such
an eagle or perhaps a falcon, but the size of a house. It doesn't smell very good and is
…dizzyingly high above…
(east of tower) …above a trackless wilderness to the east of a range of jagged
mountains. [endlessly]
…an abandoned guard tower.
(west of tower)…above a trackless wilderness to the east of a range of jagged
mountains.
…above a trackless wilderness to the east of a range of jagged mountains.
…above a trackless wilderness to the east of a range of jagged mountains.
…above a giant bird’s nest.
…above a trackless wilderness to the west of a range of jagged mountains.
[endlessly]
In Roc Nest
This nest is made from skillfully woven tree trunks, small bushes, and large amounts
of mud and roc guano for glue. Giant black feathers are everywhere. In the center
of the nest (is an egg the size of a small wagon)/(is a hungry baby roc and the
fragments of a hatched egg). [Nestled beneath the egg is a featureless white cube.]
GIANT BIRD’S NEST
ROC (The roc perches on the side of the nest, watching you intently.)
ROC EGG
[ROC CHICK]
STRING CUBE
STAINED SCROLL
infested with fleas.
(attack) The roc twists its ugly head around, squawks at you warningly, and continues
flying.
(take) You are being carried by it!
(ride)It would rather carry you.
(wait) The roc gains height and heads west towards the distant Flathead Mountains.
(wait) The roc continues to fly west towards the mountains.
(wait) You are rapidly approaching a rocky eyrie containing an enormous nest.
(wait) The roc circles over its nest, settles to the ground, and releases you.
(wait) You are falling towards the ground, wind whipping around you.
(wait) You tumble helplessly into the earth, and the results are, of course, fatal.
(?) Down seems more likely.
(drop item) The OBJ falls, dwindling below you, never to be seen again.
(?)It's a long, unclimbable way down.
(leave nest) The nest is perched on a pinnacle of rock. It's a long way down.
(examine roc) The roc is a huge raptor and resembles an eagle.
(smell) The roc smells like old, rotting meat. As it's a scavenger, this is to be expected
(talk to)The roc is intent upon its (mission)/(egg)/(chick).
(ride) The roc isn't interested in carrying you any more.
(YOMIN) You sense a strong maternal urge.
(examine nest) It looks like a huge mass of trees woven together.
(?)There are some things in the nest.
(examine egg) It looks like it's going to hatch soon.
(attack) The mother roc prevents you.
There isn't much of the egg left to deal with.
There's dirt, guano, detritus, and (a cube)/(feathers) there.
(take cube) The roc, convinced you are threatening its precious egg, drives you away
before you can snatch the cube.
(examine chick) The roc chick is much larger than you, nearly featherless, and very
hungry.
(take) It's only about three times your size.
(attack) The baby roc defends itself quite successfully.
(YOMIN) You sense ravenous hunger.
(spell) The (mother)/(baby) roc hears you preparing the spell and squawks at you so
raucously that your concentration is destroyed, and the spell misfires.
You arrive in the roc's nest. The baby roc, ravenous like all young birds, gobbles you
down.
(break egg)
You batter the egg, intending to destroy it. Suddenly the egg begins to crack. You can
see feathers, then a large, almost reptilian eye. The egg shatters, and a small (wagon
sized) roc chick rolls out. It eyes you hungrily[, notices the cube at its feet, and gobble
it greedily. It still looks hungry].
The baby roc, still ravenously hungry, devours you with relish gobbles it down.
(fall asleep) You fall asleep and then awaken as you are eaten by a roc chick.
Wilderness
You are lost in a trackless wilderness. Wild creatures and wild men rule here. As
soon as (your carpet touches ground)/(you arrive), you are set upon by one or the
other (they are difficult to tell apart) and devoured.
In Thick Clouds
You are still lost in thick, fluffy clouds. It is impossible to tell directions in here.
Guard Tower
This is the guard tower of a crumbling castle. It overlooks a mountainous landscape
of tarns, tumbled rock, and twisted low trees. The vegetation is in browns, blacks,
and ochres. The only real color is provided by a distant volcano which lights the
lowering clouds with bright red and yellow coruscations. The only exit is down.
Dungeon
This is a dark, dank, forgotten dungeon. It is overgrown with moss, fungus, and
slime. The floor is slippery. At your feet (an open trap door leads down into
blackness.)/(is a closed trap door.) A corridor leads east and stairs lead up.
BONE CUBE
MOSS
Dungeon East End
The hall ends at a blank wall, but a cell lies to the north. There is no door on the cell.
Dungeon Cell
This was once a very luxurious cell, obviously for the imprisonment of a highborn or
powerful person. Its rich hangings are now rotten rags; its furniture is smashed to
kindling, except for one massive oak cabinet. The cell door has been blown away by
an explosion, or perhaps a "rezrov" spell.
(?)You can see the ground rushing towards you from below, or vice versa.
(?)It's a long way down.
(?)It's still there.
(sleep?) Not a good idea, but when you hit, you are asleep and don't know how much
hurt.
(up) You'll need to flap your wings harder than that.
(examine volcano) The mountains are tall and volcanic.
There is a tiny black dot silhouetted against the clouds.
There is a large object silhouetted against the clouds.
There is a large bird approaching.
There is a large bird circling the tower and eyeing you suspiciously.
(examine moss) It's green and slimy.
(down) You fall to your death on the stones below.
(examine cabinet) This massive cabinet fills most of one wall. It's made of oak and loo
better preserved than anything else in the room. Its lock is corroded and unusable. T
massive cabinet is closed/opened.
(open) The cabinet is locked.
(REZROV) The cabinet bursts open, revealing a moldy book.
MASSIVE CABINET [MOLDY BOOK]
Oubliette
This is an oubliette. Sheer walls rise for twenty feet above you and lean
inward to a narrow opening covered with wooden planks. (A small but fastflowing)/(A partially frozen)/(A completely frozen) channel of water runs along the
bottom of the chamber between two pipes. [The water level is (rising)/(falling).]
TRAP DOOR
INFLOW PIPE
OUTFLOW PIPE
[ICE FLOE]
[This is an oubliette. It is [completely] full of icy water. Sheer walls enclose it on all
sides. In the ceiling is a narrow opening covered with wooden planks.]
(enter) You're too big. It isn't very deep.
(unlock with key) The lock has corroded into a mass of rust.
(examine cell) It looks like a prison cell.
(?) You (emerge in)/(plunge into the) freezing water and frantically swim to the surfa
(down) You’d never fit.
(examine door) This is a sturdy oak trap door, but it is obviously rarely used, as it is
covered with mold, cobwebs, and dirt. The trap door is closed/opened.
(open door) You can’t reach it.
(REZROV door) The trap door creaks open upon rusty hinges.
(examine channel) The channel is ceramic, about a foot in diameter, and water rushe
through it from an inflow pipe at one end to an outflow pipe at the other.
(drop OBJ in) It drops into the water and is swept away by the current.
(enter water/channel) Trying to wet your tootsies, eh? Well, you dabble your feet in
the water for a while, but they get pretty cold, and water splashes on the floor.
(enter channel) It’s underwater!
(enter channel) The channel is frozen over.
(Drink water) That was refreshing, but you shouldn't drink untested water.
(feel water) It’s wet.
(examine inflow) The inflow pipe is ceramic, about a foot in diameter, and is here to
water into the channel, presumably for drinking and sanitary purposes.
(examine outflow) The outflow pipe is ceramic, about a foot in diameter, and permits
water in the channel to exit the oubliette.
(enter pipe) It's much too small for you to fit.
(reach into pipe) The pipe extends as far as you can reach.
(look into pipe) It's dark and filled with rushing water, so you can't see much.
(TINSOT water 1) There is a purple flash, and in a burst of snow and freezing spray, th
water in the channel freezes. But the water flow is so hard that the outflow pipe is on
partially blocked.
(TINSOT water 2) In a dazzling purple flash, more water freezes, forming a large icy ca
over the outflow pipe in the channel. Water continues to pour in the inflow, and it sp
over the edge of the channel and begins to fill the room.
(TINSOT water 3) The purple flash freezes a small ice floe in the frigid
water. It has a nice flat top.
(water filling)
The water level rises. The oubliette is (one-quarter full)/(half full)/(three-quarters
full)/(full). [There is about four feet of space between the water and the roof. The wa
must have reached its level, because it has ceased to rise. You are (splashing a
tantalizing distance from the roof and trap door.)/(floating serenely on a small ice flo
(while in water) Your body is becoming numb from the cold of the water.
The nearly freezing water has overcome you. You die of hypothermia.
(water lowering)
The water level has begun to fall.
The water level falls. The oubliette is (three-quarters full)/(half full)/(one-quarter
full)(empty again). [All the ice has melted, and the pipes are open again.]
(climb on ice floe) You scramble onto the ice floe.
(get off) You reenter the freezing water.
(feel) It's cold.
(drop item while in water) Splash! Dropped.
(take item) It's under water!
(trap door) You still can't quite reach the trap door opening
(?) You can’t get enough momentum thrusting upward out of the water.
(up) The oubliette is only [X] full. The trap door is far over your head. You can’t reach
(down while LISKON) You enter the cold, fast-flowing water.
(enter inflow while LISKON) The current is too swift.
In Channel
You are in a fast flowing stream of very cold water. Going east (against the current)
would be nearly impossible. Going west is almost unavoidable.
In Pipe (1)
You are inside a small ceramic pipe nearly filled with fast-flowing cold water. The
walls of the pipe are slippery and overgrown with mossy slime wherever an
irregularity shields the growth from the force of the water. Going east (against the
current) would be nearly impossible. Going west is almost unavoidable.
In Pipe (2)
You are inside a small ceramic pipe nearly filled with fast-flowing cold water. The
walls of the pipe are slippery and overgrown with mossy slime wherever an
irregularity shields the growth from the force of the water. On the north side of the
pipe is such an irregularity: a large chunk has been knocked out of the pipe, and the
slime and moss grows abundantly. [Inside, covered with moss and slime, is
(?) This channel was made as perfectly as the technology of the times allowed, and
even as a ruin, its essence is still perfect.
(?) It's almost inevitable, given the speed of the current.
(?) has water flowing out of it
(?) water is rushing through it
(east) The current is too strong.
(wait) The rushing water is forcing you downstream.
(east) The current is too strong.
(wait) The rushing water is forcing you downstream.
(examine moss) It’s green and slimy.
(examine pipe) The pipe is ceramic, about a foot in diameter, and water flows from o
end of it to the other.
(get out of pipe) There is no way out here.
(east) The current is too strong.
(wait) The rushing water is forcing you downstream.
(examine moss) It’s green and slimy.
(examine pipe) The pipe is ceramic, about a foot in diameter, and water flows from o
end of it to the other. A chunk has broken out of the pipe here.
(get out of pipe) There is no way out here.
something large, white, and apparently cubical.] Going east (against the current)
would be nearly impossible. Going west is almost unavoidable.
CRACK [CHANGE CUBE]
(examine crack) A weak spot in the pipe has broken away here, making a smallish cra
that has filled with slime and moss. [There is a large white object partially obscured b
the growth. It is held in the crack by the force of the current.]
(reach into crack1) You reach into the crack and touch the cube. Don't you want to ta
it, too?
(reach into crack2) You reach into the crack and touch moss.
(enter crack) It's too small to enter. It's large enough to reach into, though.
(put OBJ into crack) You put OBJ in the crack, but the moss won't hold it in any longe
and the current carries it away before you can retrieve it.
Ruined Pipe
(east) The current is too strong.
The pipe here is smashed from the top where a huge pillar has toppled over onto it. (wait) The rushing water is forcing you downstream.
Cyclopean ruins are all around you. The cracks and fissures in the pipe might make it (examine pipe) The pipe is ceramic, about a foot in diameter, and water flows from o
possible to climb out here. The water is fast and loud around you.
end of it to the other.
In Pipe (3)
The water swirls down the pipe, its angle of descent increasing until it tumbles over
a precipice. You are buffeted back and forth, flipping over, headfirst one second,
feetfirst the next. At last, dizzy and confused, you are dashed against the rocks at
the bottom of the cistern.
Fire Room
(east) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force you
In this room, the walls are brick and glow a deep red. The floor itself radiates heat,
way through it.
and in fact the entire room is hot, oppressive and smoky. Searing heat radiates from
openings in the north, east and south walls.
Volcano
(examine outcropping) The outcropping is made of some hard, heat-resistant
You are at the edge of a lava vent in an active volcano. The lava glows red and
substance. It sticks up about three feet out of the lava about twenty feet from you. It
yellow, and there is a stench of sulfur in the air. A lake of lava bubbles and steams
has a flat top about four feet across which is roughly square. [Sitting in the very cente
before you, molten rock roiling from unseen disturbances. To the west, in the
of the outcropping is something small, white, and cubical.]
middle of the tumult, is a small outcropping of something with a higher melting
(throw OBJ at) The OBJECT sails smoothly through the air, bounces on the outcroppin
point than rock. It is undisturbed by the heat.
and ends up perched on the very edge of the far side.
BOILING BRIMSTONE
OUTCROPPING
ROCK
Outcropping
You are on a very small outcropping of some material that is impervious to heat. All
around you lava bubbles and steams, flowing down the side of the mountain in a
relentless stream. There is solid ground out of reach to the east.
MAGIC CUBE
GROUND
(examine rock) The rocks look hot and are melted to all their neighbors.
(take rock) The rock is too hot to touch or solidly fixed to the ground here.
(fly carpet) You begin to rise, but notice that the fringe of the carpet is starting to sin
and turn brown from the heat. Just as you are about to turn back, the label catches f
and burns to a crisp. You plummet into the lava and are seen no more.
(flying TINSOT carpet) You begin to rise, but you notice that the carpet is steaming as
the ice melts. You prudently return to earth.
(take cube) As you take the cube, you are nearly blinded by a blast of power. It rolls o
from the cube, up your arm and all over your body. Every hair stands on end, every
muscle is tense. You feel more powerful, as though a weight had been lifted from you
body and a veil drawn from before you. The very stuff of magic crackles from your
fingertips.
(examine outcropping) Now that you are on it, you can see that the outcropping is
made of some kind of volcanic glass that somehow was expelled from the volcano an
lodged here in the middle of the lava stream. It is an iceberg only partly above the flo
stuck solidly in the channel through which the lava flows.
Light Room
This place is bright and glaring. The very materials of which it is made blaze with
light so bright that their forms are obscured. There are glowing archways to the
west and south.
Volcano Base
You are partway up the base of an active volcano. All around you is a stream of
glowing, molten lava, bubbling and spitting. Clumps of red-hot lava fly through the
(examine ground) There is solid ground about twenty feet to the east, past a stream
molten lava.
(throw at ground) The OBJECT sails smoothly through the broiling air and lands on th
ground to your east.
(south) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force yo
way through it.
(any DIRECTION) The heat of the lava would cook you for sure!
(throw OBJ in lava) It disappears into the lava.
air, narrowly missing you. Your vantage point is a small point of rock that hasn't
been remelted by the flow.
BOILING BRIMSTONE
[LAVA FRAGMENT]
(take/touch/enter brimstone) It's too hot to touch. You burn yourself slightly just
getting near it.
(touch brimstone with OBJ) OBJ hisses and sizzles when you touch the lava with it.
(touch brimstone with OBJ) OBJ catches fire and burns to a crisp.
(TINSOT brimstone) A small patch of lava cools, but it is swept away.
(random) One fragment of molten lava explodes out of the flow and drops right at yo
feet! It sizzles and hisses.
(pour water on fragment) It's cooling slowly but is still too hot to touch safely.
(TINSOT fragment) The fragment is cool enough to touch.
Nondescript Room
This is a drab, nondescript room. The only exit leads south.
Water Room
This is a damp, mossy room. Its floor is mud, and its walls and ceiling are coral. In
the gaps in the coral you can see a shimmering film which you realize is actually the
outer edge of a huge bubble of air enclosing you. On the north, east and south sides
of the room are curtains of bubbles.
Mid-Ocean
You are swimming in mid-ocean. [Floating nearby are a cube and a bottle.]
GROUPER (A large grouper swims nearby.)
BOTTLE
(east) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force you
way through it.
(entering) You step out of the room and drop precipitously into the Flathead Ocean,
making a terrific splash. The cube, lost in the shock of the fall, makes a smaller
splash. It is a little less buoyant than you and begins to sink slowly beneath the wave
[Some of your possessions have been damaged by the water.]
(up) Only if you sprout wings first.
(down) You take a deep breath and swim downward, but you can't hold it long enoug
to reach the bottom.
(down…) You swim downward (followed)/(watched) by the nervous grouper.
(take all) They were floating in opposite directions, and you get a chance at only one
them.
(drop) The OBJ begins to sink beneath the waves.
(wait) The OBJ sinks beneath the waves.
OBJ sinks out of sight.
OBJ is now floating nearby.
(take if fish) Your fins are not well designed to hold things.
(eat) Opening your maw, you swallow OBJ.
(wait) The grouper, nosing around for something tasty, swallows the OBJ and starts t
swim downward, temporarily sated.
(wait) The grouper swims down out of sight.
(wait) The grouper approaches, its goggle eyes staring curiously.
(examine grouper) "The grouper is a large fish with an enormous mouth. This specim
is large but not exceptional. It probably weighs about as much as you.
(show OBJ) The grouper looks interested but is afraid to come close.
(LISKON) The grouper dwindles to the size of a sea bass. Startled and upset, it swims
rapidly away.
(?) The grouper stares at you, goggle-eyed and interested, but wary.
(SNAVIG) You change. [You can no longer carry anything.] The grouper stares at you
with fishy eyes like yours, twiddles fins like yours, opens a huge mouth like yours, and
flicking a tail like yours, swims suspiciously around you.
(ESPNIS) As groupers rarely if ever sleep, this has no effect.
(YOMIN, if have bread or fish) The mind of a grouper is hard to focus on, but you get
vision of curiosity and expectation: is there any more food to be had?
(YOMIN) The mind of a grouper is hard to focus on, but you get a vision of hunger an
curiosity. The last time the grouper saw something like you, it was interesting.
(attack) The grouper is startled but returns after a few moments, its curiosity unsated
(?) You have reemerged beneath the ocean. There is no air here. You drown.
Ocean Floor
You are deep beneath the waves, near a small pile of rocks and broken coral that
make up the nest of a grouper.
GROUPER NEST [LIGHT CUBE]
(?) Your finny fins aren't capable of that.
(?) That tasted surprisingly good.
(up…) You swim upward (followed)/(watched) by the nervous grouper.
(down) You hit your nose against the sand.
(other DIRECTION while fish) You swim in circles for a while.
(other DIRECTION) You swim about for a short distance.
(SNAVIG wear off) You have become yourself again. Fortunately your gills have store
some oxygen, but you are in danger of drowning. [You have a horrible stomachache.
must have been something you ate.]
(wait too long after SNAVIG) Your air has run out. You are still far underwater. You ha
drowned.
(up) You swim upward, desperately trying to hold your breath until you reach the
surface. It's a losing battle. You can’t hold it any longer, take a breath, and it's pure,
sweet air! You have reached the surface.
Open Ocean
You are lost in the middle of the open ocean. There is no land in sight.
Dark Room
This room is totally black, so black that you see nothing when you look around it. All
light is absorbed by the substance of the place. You can tell it is physical, because
you can feel your feet touching the floor, but your eyes tell you nothing.
Dark Cave
This is a large cave with a rough floor. You can tell little about the surroundings,
because your frotz spell doesn't seem to be working normally here and produces
only a wan and sickly glow. The light coming from OBJ has been reduced to a thin,
barely glowing stream of tiny blobs that drips, spurts and sputters uselessly to the
(up) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force your
way through it.
Dark Room...
This is "grue heaven," a place ideally suited for grues, as all light is subdued at best an
stays out of the way of the creatures.
(down, with frotz) You make your way carefully in the almost non-existent light down
an area filled with dim shapes. They move about purposefully, making horrible gurgli
noises. The floor is rough and jumbled near the walls, so you haven't been noticed ye
(down without frotz) You stumble blindly down a short passage which opens into wh
feels like a larger area.
ground. There it collects into a small pile which is slowly disappearing, perhaps by
evaporation.
[This is a jumbled, rough cave with many small passages leading in and out, and one
large one leading down.]
Grue Cave
This is a large underground chamber filled with nightmarish, barely visible shapes.
There is very dim light issuing from somewhere near the center of the room.
[A natural amphitheater carved out of the underground rock opens from several
small passages. The cave is crowded with grues of all shapes and sizes. At the lowest
point of the cave a small pool of light has gathered, glowing very dimly (from a
human point of view). The grues avoid it, and in fact it hurts your eyes to look at it
for very long. In the middle of the pool is a short, squat pillar with something on top
of it. This is the object of all the attention. The grues seem to regard the pillar or its
contents with awe.]
GRUE
(wait) The shapes are coming closer. They have noticed you.
They approach you warily, avoiding the tiny drips of light. They grab you, overwhelm
you, and [as in addition to their other nasty habits, grues are cannibalistic, they] devo
you, grunting, gurgling, and snapping at each other as they fight over the best parts.
(enter in darkness) Scrabbling and scratching claws are approaching in the dark. The
last sound you hear is the gurgling of the pack of grues that devours you with
unmentionable enjoyment.
(examine grue) The grues look exactly as you would expect, only worse.
(attack with not frotzed) You've called attention to yourself. The grues invite you to
dinner.
(YOMIN grue) You sense ravening hunger and a nasty, mean, and brutish disposition.
(SNAVIG grue) You feel yourself changing in a very unpleasant way. Your claws feel o
and you have an uncontrollable tendency to slaver. You gurgle vilely to yourself,
worrying about the presence of light. [A justified worry, as the glow from your own
body fries you to a crisp!]
(slaver) You do that very well for such an inexperienced grue.
(attack grue) The grue is the most evil-tempered of all creatures. When dealing with
grues, discretion and good intentions often count for nothing. To say that grues are
touchy, even with their own kind, is an understatement. "Sour as a grue" is a commo
expression, even among the creatures themselves. You have made a fatal mistake.
(cast spell) Your mouth cannot form the words of spells while you are changed into a
grue.
(talk to grues) "Your inability to speak grue, not to mention your use of a human
tongue, arouses the grues and seals your fate.
(give) It looks quizzically at the OBJ, then snatches it [and noisily wolfs it down, teeth
tearing it into tiny gobbets.
(give ?) The grue snarls at you, but takes it anyway.
(SNAVIG wears off) You have become yourself again. You are immediately noticed by
the startled grues. The one drawback of this essentially light-free environment is tha
is also adventurer-free. The grues are overjoyed to find this deficiency remedied. You
are probably less so.
(?) There are grues all around.
(?) The grues gurgle unsettlingly, intent upon their business.
(?) Directly in front of you, a horrific creature recoils with a look of shocked surprise.
scuttles off, perplexed.
(?) The light from OBJ hurts your eyes.
(?) Scrabbling and scratching claws are nearby.
(?) The grues have noticed you, and are terrifically agitated.
Light Pool
This is a small pool or pond of light, very dim by human standards, but painful for a
grue to even look at. In the center of the pool is a pillar which sticks up out of the
light.
PILLAR
(climb pillar) It's in the pool, out of reach from here.
(entering) You enter the pool, which is composed of the accumulated dribbles of ligh
that have made their way to this uttermost bottom of a dark dimension. The light
tickles at first, but then it begins to burn and your eyes are hurting severely.
(wait) The burning sensation gets worse and worse. You struggle against it, but the li
is just too much. You lose consciousness, sink to the bottom of the pool, and expire.
(examine pillar) This is a short, squat marble pillar covered with eroded glyphs. It bar
projects out of the pool of light. The grues seem awed by it. [There is something sma
and white on the pillar.]
(read pillar) The only readable ones say "D.L. 1985."
The light is so bright and painful you can barely stand it.
It hurts to look at light so dim you could hardly discern it normally.
The light is in a small, dimly glowing pile.
Pillar
You are on top of a short marble pillar surrounded by a pool of (almost
imperceptible light. You can barely see dim shapes capering in the dark.)/(light.
Squinting through the intolerable glare, you can see that the other grues are staring
at you with a mixture of amazement and fear.)
FIRE CUBE
Air Room
You are on a large fluffy white cloud. In fact, you are surrounded by clouds. They
blow past, wind seeming to boil them around you from all sides. There is a bit of
clear air to the north, momentary gaps in the clouds to the south and west, and an
alarming one below you.
Glacier
You are in the midst of a trackless glacier in the Flathead Mountains. Snow blows
around you, the wind complaining of its own discomfort. This is a desolate and
dangerous place, for there are crevasses everywhere under the deceptive blanket of
snow.
WHITE SCROLL
GLACIER
Bazaar
This is a crowded, noisy bazaar. Directly in front of you to the east is a shop. Above
its door is a sign in an unknown tongue. You can’t read it, but it is illustrated with a
picture of a very ornate rug. The door beckons invitingly.
SIGN
Emporium
This is the middle of a huge emporium. Signs in a language unknown to you grace
(climb pillar) It doesn't go any higher, and you're on it already.
(down) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force yo
way through it.
(drop item in hole?) You drop OBJ through the hole, and it disappears.
(look through hole?) You see clouds!
(any DIRECTION) You have just walked into a crevasse.
(wait) Your body is becoming numb from the cold.
(wait) The freezing weather has overcome you. You die of hypothermia.
(examine glacier) The ice glints so brightly that you are almost blinded.
(TINSOT glacier) Coals to Newcastle, if you ask me.
(read sign) The sign might as well be Greek.
(east, if been kicked out) The door is closed and locked, apparently by powerful magi
When you attempt entry, the merchant opens a small panel in the door and recogniz
you. "We're closed for lunch!" He slams the panel shut.
(entering) The merchant approaches you. "May I help you? We have a fine selection
carpets of all sizes and uses." He indicates the pile of rugs and picks up two of them.
the displays. Most of the objects displayed are ornately woven rugs. There is an exit
into the street to the west.
MERCHANT (A young and earnest-looking merchant stands near a pile
of carpets. [He is carrying in his arms a beautiful blue carpet with a design of cubes
on it and scruffy red carpet that's shabby and badly made.)
BEAUTIFUL BLUE CARPET
SCRUFFY RED CARPET
"These are particularly nice," he says. One is a beautiful blue carpet with a strange
design of cubes, and the other is a scruffy red carpet that's rather shabby and badly
made.
(wait) The merchant tries to look bored. He doesn't pull it off.
(after buying) The merchant is patiently waiting for you to leave.
(read sign) The sign might as well be Greek.
(examine carpets) They are beautiful examples of the weaver's art.
(take carpets) You might be accused of thievery.
(examine merchant) The merchant is extremely anxious to please. He looks as if it mi
be his first day on the job. He's a young fellow wearing purple trousers which bulge
alarmingly at the knees, an orange-striped shirt and a small hat. He has a detestable
moustache.
(offer 350 zorkmids) These carpets are the epitome of the weaver's art, woven by
skilled native craftsmen with pride in their work. The Flatheads themselves have
carpets like these. Their worth is nearly incalculable, but because today is my aged
mother's birthday, we are offering them at an absurdly low price. A mere eight hund
zorkmids each!
(buy a carpet, again) This is a valuable carpet. What will you offer for it? I'm not in
business for my health.
(hello) "Greetings to you! May I be of assistance?"
(sell me a carpet) "Would you care to purchase a fine carpet?"
(sell me a carpet) Come, come. I haven't all day.
(ask merchant about X) I see you have excellent taste. Let me tell you about
these fine carpets [instead]. They are my pride and joy, next of course to my nieces a
nephews, but I digress... These carpets are the best you will find anywhere.
(spell on merchant) The spell trickles away to nothing. The merchant smiles. "Do you
think you are the first magician to try to use lawless, thieving magic on a humble
merchant?" He throws you into the street and bars the door.
(take carpet) "A serious offer, now! Enough of this game-playing!"
(offer low price) "Now, really, you must bargain in good faith. My patience is not
infinite, as my lunch even now is congealing."
(offer more than 500 zorkmids) "Done, then!" The merchant takes the gold coin. "Wh
do you take me for? This is only a 500 zorkmid piece! Trying to cheat me is trying to
cheat my children! This I cannot accept! Out with you!"
(give object of value (opal)) "Done, then!" The merchant takes the X. He examines it
skeptically. "I don't really think this is worth the price, no, it won't do at all..." He heft
in his hand. "Well, I believe in accommodating our out-of-town visitors. Otherwise, w
don't get any repeat customers, right? I can always put this trinket on the mantelpiec
and regale my family with the story." He smiles unctuously.
(offer magic item) "That sort of thing is worthless to me. I am a simple man with no
interest in magic!"
(offer worthless) You insult me. You insult my wife, you insult my children, you insult
even my lowliest, mangiest dog.
(offer ?) A mere gewgaw, hardly worth a single zorkmid!
(offer 400 zorkmids) "You obviously didn't hear me. I didn't say we were giving them
away. But my father is also hard of hearing and thus I have a warm spot in my heart f
those similarly afflicted, so I will accept a pittance, as charity: seven hundred zorkmid
(offer 450) "My word! Let me see your teeth... No, not shark's teeth after all. Perhap
your rapaciousness has led you astray. Down the block you may find old rags and suc
to make a fine floor covering for your hovel. Here you must pay what the product is
worth. Six hundred, or I send you down the street."
(offer 500) "This grows tedious. Because I am a busy man and my lunch is growing co
I will sell you a rug below my own cost. These rugs are imported at great expense ove
burning deserts, steep mountains and bandit-infested plains. My own cousin, who w
watching out for the family interests in the caravan, was lost bringing this very
shipment here. The caravan master, in his absence, no doubt robbed us blind, as you
propose to do. Done at five hundred, then!" He reaches toward you expectantly.
(AFTER GIVE OPAL, ZORKMID COIN)
"I don't know what my family will eat tonight, but they say I'm softhearted. I only wa
to get back to my lunch, so you've got a deal. You should have told me you were an
expert." He gives you a carpet. "Now go before my family sees what a fool I've been.
(offer more) "But we've already made a deal! I can't accept anything additional!"
(action after buying) The merchant says, "Time is money, and you've wasted too muc
of mine!"
(?) "That does it! Out you go! Down the road to the rag-pickers, you thief!"
(?) The merchant's eyes light up. "No doubt you wish to purchase this lovely scruffy r
carpet. A wise choice!"
(?) "Five hundred zorkmids? Possibly a true coin..." He tries to hide his interest.
(?) Words are trifles! Let me see your zorkmids!" chides the merchant.
(?) "Your obvious eagerness to do business is matched only by your boorish manners
(?) "This is precisely my intention!"
Changing Room
The scene here shifts and changes constantly. For example, the exit to the west is
always an exit, but one moment it is an oak door, and the next a flimsy curtain of
beads. The details are impossible to pin down for longer than a second or two. The
eastern and northern exits are equally fluid.
(give red carpet) "How silly of me! You wanted this one with the cubes, didn't you?"
gives it to you.
[He grudgingly gives you the beautiful blue carpet, retrieving the scruff red carpet.]
(give blue carpet again) He hurriedly gives you the scruffy red carpet, retrieving the
beautiful blue carpet.
(ask merchant about carpet) "Yes? What about the CARPET.”
(?)"No going back on our deal! I'll report you to the merchants' association!"
(east) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force you
way through it.
Bare Room
This is a room of smooth bare marble. It has no exits.
COMPASS ROSE
Carving Room
This room is a perfectly carved, smoothed and shaped cube of black marble. (There
are no exits, but inset in the north wall is a carving of a compass rose.)/(There is a
smallish octagonal hole in the north wall.)
CARVING
(?) There is a hole there.
(?) The wall is marble.
(examine carving) This carving of a compass rose was made by a master craftsman. A
the delicate filigree one might expect on a real but ornamental counterpart is here. A
though that challenge was not enough, the artist set the carving deep in the stone of
the wall.
(examine carving2) The carving is hidden by the real compass rose, which resembles
in every particular.
(put compass rose in carving) The silver rose fits the carving perfectly. As it slides in, a
octagonal hole appears below the carving. It is small, but large enough to squeeze
through. You notice that the arm pointing north is now dull pot-metal.
(put other in carving) It won't fit.
(?) The carving is a carving of the compass rose.
(examine marble) It looks like bare, smooth marble.
Octagonal Rooms (SE)
This room is in the shape of an octagonal solid carved from marble. The floor and
ceiling are the octagons and each wall is a rectangle. On each wall is inlaid a rune
indicating a direction: the north wall has "north" carved on it, and so on. The east,
northeast, southeast and southwest runes are lead. The rest are of silver.
Octagonal Rooms (S)
This room is in the shape of an octagonal solid carved from marble. The floor and
ceiling are the octagons and each wall is a rectangle. On each wall is inlaid a rune
indicating a direction: the north wall has "north" carved on it, and so on. The south,
southeast and southwest runes are lead. The rest are of silver.
Octagonal Rooms (SW)
(north) You slide through the octagonal hole which constricts and disappears as soon
you are through it.
(EXAMINE RUNES, GENERAL)
This is the rune for “west,” made if inlaid (gold/silver/lead).
This room is in the shape of an octagonal solid carved from marble. The floor and
ceiling are the octagons and each wall is a rectangle. On each wall is inlaid a rune
indicating a direction: the north wall has "north" carved on it, and so on. The west,
south, northwest, southeast and southwest runes are lead. The rest are of silver.
Octagonal Rooms (W)
This room is in the shape of an octagonal solid carved from marble. The floor and
ceiling are the octagons and each wall is a rectangle. On each wall is inlaid a rune
indicating a direction: the north wall has "north" carved on it, and so on. The west,
northwest and southwest runes are lead. The rest are of silver.
Octagonal Rooms (center)
This room is in the shape of an octagonal solid carved from marble. The floor and
ceiling are the octagons and each wall is a rectangle. On each wall is inlaid a rune
indicating a direction: the north wall has "north" carved on it, and so on. The
northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest runes are lead. The rest are of
silver.
Octagonal Rooms (E)
This room is in the shape of an octagonal solid carved from marble. The floor and
ceiling are the octagons and each wall is a rectangle. On each wall is inlaid a rune
indicating a direction: the north wall has "north" carved on it, and so on. The east,
northeast and southeast runes are lead. The rest are of silver.
Octagonal Rooms (NE)
This room is in the shape of an octagonal solid carved from marble. The floor and
ceiling are the octagons and each wall is a rectangle. On each wall is inlaid a rune
indicating a direction: the north wall has "north" carved on it, and so on. The north,
east, northeast, northwest and southeast runes are lead. The rest are of silver.
Octagonal Rooms (N)
This room is in the shape of an octagonal solid carved from marble. The floor and
ceiling are the octagons and each wall is a rectangle. On each wall is inlaid a rune
indicating a direction: the north wall has "north" carved on it, and so on. The west
rune is gold, the north, northeast and northwest runes are lead, the rest are of
(pull/take plug) You can't budge it.
(push plug) Nothing happens.
(open plug) There is no apparent lock or handle.
(REZROV plug) The alabaster melts away, leaving an octagonal hole leading west.
silver. (On the west wall just under the rune is an octagonal hole plugged with a
perfectly fitting piece of alabaster.)/(The west wall has a perfect octagonal hole in
it, just under the rune.)
ALABASTER PLUG
Octagonal Rooms (NW)
This room is in the shape of an octagonal solid carved from marble. The floor and
ceiling are the octagons and each wall is a rectangle. On each wall is inlaid a rune
indicating a direction: the north wall has "north" carved on it, and so on. The runes
are all of lead.
NO PLACE CUBE
Soft Room
This place is soft, warm and slightly spongy. It glistens in the light. There are
passages leading east and south.
Meadow
This is a warm, sunny meadow nestled among low hills. Wildflowers abound, and
insects buzz lazily through the air. The grass is soft and thick. Birds drift serenely
through the sky, where puffy white clouds decorate the bright blue background.
PAIR OF PRUNING SHEARS
WEED
(examine hole) On the west wall just under the rune is an octagonal hole.
(?) to hang it on.
(east) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force you
way through it.
(random emit) A rabbit hops across the meadow, twitches its nose at you, and then
scampers away.
(follow rabbit) What rabbit? I guess he was late for something.
(smell flowers) Taking time to stop and smell the flowers?
(prune) Doing a little gardening?
(pick) You shouldn't pick that.
(examine grass) It's well maintained.
(prune) Doing a little gardening?
(pick) You shouldn't pick that.
(examine clouds) The clouds are puffy and white, perfect for a lazy summer's day.
(LESOCH clouds) The clouds clear away.
I followed the rabbit down into the rabbit hole. What do I do with the cakes I found?
1. Wait a minute. This isn't _Alice in Wonderland_...
Magic Room
This place is odd indeed. Nothing that you look at is what it seems. If you look at
something carefully enough it turns out to be something entirely different. The
room is cluttered with objects and obviously hasn't been cleaned in a long time. The
floor is overgrown with grass and weeds, and rabbits have chewed them. There are
bird nests around the ceiling and droppings here and there. A very untidy and
unsettling place. Much of the walls, ceiling and floor is covered in mirrors. There are
empty, mirrorless square areas at north and south and a round black emptiness to
the east.
Castle
This is the audience chamber. It is high and spacious, and every proportion and
decoration is intended to highlight the throne that looms before you. The throne
itself is bathed in light, but only featureless gray may be seen through the windows
and skylights.
[SHADOWY FIGURE] A shadowy figure in a dark cloak is here.
SMALL THRONE
[CONSTRUCTION]
2. ...or even _Zork II_.
3. Phony questions deserve phony answers!
(south) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force yo
way through it.
(1) Mocking laughter echoes around you.
(2) Around the throne a dark mist begins to coalesce. It thickens into the outline
a human figure sitting nonchalantly on the throne. You can see the ghost of a
cloak and hood as well.
The figure speaks.
"It's been such a pleasure to follow your progress. [Thank you for collecting t
cubes."]
"So glad to see you. I was surprised to find you in Borphee when I knew we h
an appointment here."
"I'm so glad I could be of assistance when you had trouble. It made me feel
useful.
(3) The figure waves its arms in the air. Before you, rolling and tumbling in a bat
of light, are four cubes. "When I gathered these and the earth cube, after
searching old tomes and questioning the wise about their whereabouts, I
conceived my plan. I could not gather the remainder of the cubes, but to
achieve my desire, they had to be brought together. Who better than you to
act in my stead?"
(4) "It was a simple matter to perturb the cubes I had to make your simple magi
flicker or fail. I knew this would set you on a quest. For I know you well!" The
four cubes disappear. The figure sits straight on its throne and removes its
hood. You are looking at a shadowy, dark and transparent version of yourself
(5) "Magic is a powerful force, the most powerful in the universe, but its exercis
has its price. Each time a great mage performs a spell, some part of the powe
in that spell is lost in shadow. A great mage ultimately creates a shadow-self
that is dimly aware." The figure grins. "You have become the most powerful
wizard of all, for I, your shadow, have become very nearly as powerful as you
(6) "But why, you ask, am I collecting the elemental cubes? It's easy to answer. I
am not powerful enough. My existence is still but a shadow of your own. My
desires are unfulfilled. I wish power over all creation! I wish to remold the
universe in my own image, and rule it. In such a universe, my merest whim
would smash a star or slay a butterfly. You have brought me the tools of the
remaking!"
(7) ("Now for a small precaution.")/(The shadow notices you. "You force me to
take precautions.") The shadow gestures, and you are frozen in place unable
move even your littlest finger.
(8) The shadowy figure deftly takes the Earth cube from the sack and sets it in th
air between you, where it hangs motionless.
(9) The shadowy figure deftly takes the Air cube from the sack and places it next
the earth cube. They disappear into a glowing line which appears between
them. The shadowy figure places the Fire cube and the Water cube in the air
creating a square of glowing light.
(10)Your little finger is full of pins and needles. You could move it if you wanted.
Four more cubes are placed above the square: the Soft cube, the Bone
cube, the Light cube and the Dark cube. A cube of light shimmers before you
The shadow is growing more excited, hopping around the structure to place
cubes.
(11)Your feet and hands feel as if they've been asleep, but you can move them.
All the remaining cubes save one, the Magic cube, build another squa
then the shadow adds its own four cubes to make a second cube of light, wh
hangs next to the first.
(12)Your arms and legs are free, but you still cannot speak or move your head.
The shadow grabs the first cube of light, and twisting, chanting,
squeezing, the cube is compressed and thrust inside the second cube. The
points of the inner and outer cube connect, and it begins to tumble, seeming
twist and distort as one face, then another, presents itself to you. The figure
capers madly in front of its construction, laughing and giggling. It ignores you
(13)(?) removes some detritus from X grins evilly at X floating in X
(14)You feel almost thawed, but your mouth feels full of cotton.
The shadowy figure deftly takes the Magic cube from you and raising
high, thrusts it into the center of the tesseract! Cascades of light pour forth,
blindingly bright, but you can still see the Magic cube at the center. The shad
is growing more solid, no longer transparent and dark! Chortling gleefully, it
prepares to jump into the hypercube!
(15)The freeze has worn entirely off! Your contact with Magic cube must have
weakened it.
The shadow, now as solid as a real person, performs a back flip into th
tesseract, laughing triumphantly. Now glowing as brightly as the construction
made, the figure approaches the center. It dwindles in size and grows in
brightness at the same time, until (it reaches the empty center. Then you, it a
all the world blink out like a spent match.)/(you are almost blinded by a light
bright it fills the world. A voice like honey and ashes speaks in your mind. "I a
the All, I am the Will, I am the Power. The universe is Mine! Begone, insect!"
You and all you hold dear are abolished in an instant, and the reign of the
shadow begins.)
It returns in fury, retrieves the CUBE, and resumes its quest.
(examine figure) The shadowy figure is hard to see, almost as though some spell is
acting to obscure it. It's clad in a dark cloak with a hood, and it blends into the
background in a disturbing way.
(talk to) "All will be revealed in due time."
(talk to) You cannot speak.
(give) The shadowy figure snatches it greedily.
(?) The frozen shadow is impervious to harm.
(ESPNIS) The shadow begins to nod off but with great effort resists and awakens.
(YOMIN) You feel your own innermost desires, petty jealousies, and unworthy thoug
magnified a thousand times.
(actions) You are frozen.
(?) Something about this place prevents you. It's unsettling.
(?) As you try to decide what to take first, the spell wears off!
(action) You clumsily attempt to (do it.)/(to cast the spell.)
(GIRGOL just before shadow leaps) The shadow freezes in mid-leap! You can tell the
spell won't hold for long in this magically charged atmosphere!
(GIRGOL when?) All around you freezes in place! The shadow is caught in a particular
evil posture. You can tell the spell won't hold for long!
(GIRGOL early on?) The shadow turns and silences you with a word of power, cancell
the spell.
(examine construction) It floats in front of you, glowing and tumbling.
(jump into) Though tempted, you cannot bring yourself to do it.
(take magic cube) You tug and pull at the cube, trying desperately to remove it from
place in the center of the tesseract. With your last reserve of strength you free it!
(put OBJ In construction) You push OBJ into the hypercube, where it hangs
unsupported.
[TIME RESUMES ITS FORWARD FLIGHT]
The shadow, now as solid as a real person, performs a back flip into the tesseract. "N
It screams. "Stop! Fool, you've destroyed me! You've destroyed (everything)/(magic)
itself! All my lovely plains!” Now glowing as brightly as the construction it made, the
figure approaches the center. It grows smaller and smaller, and just before it
disappears, the hypercube vanishes with a pop, and the Magic cube melts in your ha
like an ice cube.
(?) ["Fool! Everything will be as it was!"]
(END GAME)
You find yourself back in Belwit Square, all the Guildmasters and even Belboz crowdi
around you. "A new age begins today," says Belboz after hearing your story. "The age
magic is ended, as it must, for as magic can confer absolute power, so it can also
produce absolute evil. We may defeat this evil when it appears, but if wizardry builds
anew, we can never ultimately win. The new world will be strange, but in time it will
serve us better."
(?) Everything glows.
(?) You can no longer see X in the blaze of light.
(?) "Fool!" chortles the shadow.
(sleep here?) You fall asleep and miss the end of the world.
How can I save the world?
1. By winning the game.
2. Stop the shadow from remaking the universe to its own liking.
Why isn't there an alternative ending?
The inevitable result of magicians wielding such unchecked power as existed befo
the end of the story would be the creation of another shadow. It too might be
defeated, but eventually one would arise who would be victorious over its original. T
outcome of such a victory is too terrible to contemplate.
Sand Room
A thin trickle of sand flows down from an exit in the ceiling of this circular room to a
pile of sand on the floor. The walls of the room are glass, but you can see nothing
through them. In the sand is a hole through which, oddly enough, no sand is
pouring out.
Ruins Room
This is the south end of a vast chamber filled with partially ruined structures. Here
the portico of a building is collapsing. The pillars holding it up are starting to
crumble. One has recently fallen and smashed the pavement. The fall exposed and
the rubble blocked a small channel filled with swiftly rushing water which is rapidly
inundating the area. [You are in a small area not yet flooded.]
SACK [FLIMSY SCROLL]
(north) The water is too deep and cold.
(examine channel) The channel is buried under rubble.
(enter) It's cold and icy.
The water has left only a tiny area dry.
The water has covered the entire floor. Your feet are wet.
The water is up to your waist.
You are in water over your head. [Some of your possessions have been damaged by t
water.]
The nearly freezing water has overcome you. You die of hypothermia.
(GIRGOL) The water stops rising.
(GIRGOL wears off) The water begins to rise again.
Dungeon Cell
This is a luxurious cell, obviously for the imprisonment of a highborn or powerful
person. Its rich hangings and heavily ornamented furniture speak of a prisoner
whose comfort is important even during imprisonment. A massive oak cabinet
dominates one wall. The massive cabinet is closed. The cell door is closed.
CELL DOOR
[GUARDS]
MASSIVE CABINET [VELLUM SCROLL]
(examine cabinet) This massive cabinet fills most of one wall. It's made of oak and
looks quite sturdy. It has a strong lock. The massive cabinet is closed/opened.
(unlock cabinet with key, wrong question) As you insert the key into the lock, it
disappears, and a vision of Belboz materializes before you! [“Ah! Now I have you…]
(open cabinet) Opening the massive cabinet reveals a vellum scroll.
(REZROV) The cabinet bursts open revealing a vellum scroll.
(open door) The door is locked.
(REZROV door) The door bursts outward in an explosion of power! Immediately, you
hear the shouts of guards and the rattle of weapons.
(south) You exit into a tangle of guards, who promptly dispatch you for escaping and
resisting arrest.
(wait) Many nasty guards arrive[, find you hiding in the cabinet,] and immediately (fo
No Place
There is nothing here. You are here, but there is no here where you are. You see
nothing. Your senses are vainly trying to find something, anything to work on. You
can know your body is there, but you can't truly sense it to confirm the suspicion.
Your mind is alternately drawn in three "directions" (or at least what seem like
directions): east, west and south. There is something slightly different about the
nothing in those directions.
Inner Vault
This is a bare concrete chamber that looks like the inside of a vault. [The room is
filled with unimaginable treasure. Gold and jewels are strewn everywhere. Coffers
burst with coins, and stacks of rare paintings lean against the walls. Beautifully
ornamented vases and glassware are carelessly stacked in corners.] There is a door
on the north side of the room whose lock mechanism is visible. The door is closed
and locked.
TREASURE
VAULT DOOR
Outer Vault
You are in a large, bare concrete room. There are two piles on the floor. The first
contains the “x1” cube, the “x2” cube, the “x3” cube, the “x4” cube, the “x5” cube
and the “x6” cube. The second pile contains the “x7” cube, the “x8” cube, the “x9”
cube, the “x10” cube, the “x11” cube and the “x12” cube. An exit is to the north. It
is (a closed)/(an open) iron door. To the south is the inner vault. Its steel door is
closed/open.
FIRST PILE
SECOND PILE
[ALARM FAIRY (An agitated alarm fairy flits about near the ceiling.)]
[GUARDS]
their own protection, of course) run you through with their swords.
(east) You slowly drift "eastward," and the nothing attenuates. Something begins to
break through the nothing.
(south) Your mind starts to wander "southward," and slowly something impinges itse
on your mind.
(west1) Oddly, although your mind is drawn in that direction, no act of will helps in
going that way
(west2) Your mind drifts "westward," and slowly something surrounds your mind.
(examine door) This is a steel door. It is thick and heavy, like the door to a bank vault
is covered with complicated mechanisms which look like they are part of a timing or
locking device. (The door is closed and locked.)/(The door is open and beyond you ca
see the outer vault.)
(open) You can see no way to open the vault door.
(REZROV) The mechanisms whirr madly for a few moments, and then the door swing
ponderously open.
(?) (The mechanisms try vainly to turn,)/(The door strains and creaks,) but your spell
just not powerful enough.
(upon entering) As you enter the outer vault, the vault door swings inexorably shut.
(upon entering after breaking in) A group of burly guards has been stationed
permanently in the treasury now. They are surprised but happy to see you, dedicated
professionals that they are.
(examine vault door) This is a steel door. It is thick and heavy, like the door to a bank
vault. It is covered with complicated mechanisms which look like they are part of a
timing or locking device. (The door is closed and locked.)/(The door is open and beyo
you can see a treasure chamber.)
(unlock iron door) The lock is beyond your ability to unlock or pick.
[SAND CUBE]
[ELEVEN FAKE CUBES]
There is a pile of things on the floor, containing X. There is an empty spot where X
was.
(REZROV vault door) You hear strange noises for a few moments, and then the door
swings ponderously open.
(REZROV iron door) Silently, the iron door swings open.
(then after rezroving either door) Suddenly an alarm fairy appears in the Treasury. It
carries a big gong which it begins to pound incessantly, and it yells at the top of its
lungs. "There's a thief here! Hey, guards! Thief! Nasty thieving thief's here! Come
capture the thief!" The din is tremendous.
(wait) You can hear a key being inserted in the lock from outside. The alarm fairy
thumbs its nose at you derisively.
(wait) All at once the door bursts in and five burly guards crowd into the Treasury. Th
look at you with extreme disapproval, tinged with a certain sadistic anticipation of w
is to come. The alarm fairy twitters about near the ceiling, jeering at you. "Told you s
nyaah, nyaah!" it chants. In the interest of taste, we will gloss over what happens nex
but at the end of it you are dead.
(examine fairy) The alarm fairy is small, winged and very obnoxious. It flies near the
ceiling, out of reach, and jeers at you.
(attack) "Missed me! Missed me! Now you have to kiss me!" It plants a smooch on yo
cheek.
(talk to) "Go away, thief! Just wait 'til the guards come! You'll be sorry!"
(YOMIN) You sense a mixture of spitefulness and pleasurable anticipation.
(ESPNIS) It thumbs its nose at you. "I never sleep!" it jeers.
(examine guards) The guards are no doubt burly, thuggish and nasty.
(cast spell) "A wise guy, eh?" The guards burst in and dispatch you before you can fin
the spell.
(north) You poke your head out the door. You see a long, gloomy corridor down whi
five burly guards are coming.
Five burly guards, unshaven and thuggish, stand outside the door. It is clear their
intention is to come in.
(north again) You poke your head out the door. You see, directly in front of you, five
burly guards who look like they want to discuss something with you.
(save)That spell doesn't work here.
Plain (1,2)
…lines radiating east, south and southwest.
(JINDAK stuff)
(1) Both piles seem to glow with identical brightness.
(1) Both piles of cubes glow with a faint blue glow. However, the (first)/(second)
pile is glowing more brightly.
(2) Neither pile is glowing at all.
Nothing else is glowing.
(examine lines) These lines appear to be discolorations in the surface, perhaps a
different mineral permeating the rock. They form a usually rectangular grid. The
boulders, as far as you can tell, always follow the lines.
(?) The lines aren't raised or lowered with respect to the plain. They are most likely ju
discolorations in the surface.
(DIRECTION) You find that the surface is too smooth. Your feet slip out from under yo
and you crash to the ground.
Plain (1,3)
…lines radiating east, west and south.
Plain (1,4)
…lines radiating west and south.
Plain (2,1)
…line radiating east, south and northeast.
Plain (2,2) STARTING LOCATION
This is a flat plain punctuated by boulders. The boulders are all identical and slide to
and fro on the eerie surface, propelled by an unknown mechanism. The ground is
scratched by many intersecting lines which seem to have a regular pattern. [You are
(examine rock) This is a rather large boulder with a flat bottom. Something prevents
from touching the ground, as it moves about quite nimbly, watching you with lovely
green eyes.
(ride rock) The rock spins in place, preventing you from getting on. “What's in it for m
on a large, green eyed rock.] From where you are (standing)/(perched) you can see
lines radiating north, east, west and south. [There is a large green eyed rock here.]
[Also, there is a large brown eyed rock with a featureless white cube on its back
(some distance)/(nearby and off)/(quite a ways off) to the DIRECTION.] Far in the
distance are mountains which quiver itchily as they belch forth purple fire.
GREEN EYED ROCK
For example, if you had some food, that might be nice. Then you could ride on top an
admire me from that angle. It's a rare privilege.
(ride rock, after giving food) You climb the rock and perch precariously on top. From
here you can see that the long scratches in the ground form a rectangular grid that fi
a rather small valley. "My back is the most hemispheric of all my friends'," remarks th
rock.
(rock, hello) "You know, I could do with a little food. The paths are sort of bare this ti
of year; everyone's scraped them pretty thin. Yes, a little food would be nice.
Something crunchy. Then you could watch me eat. I'm really at my best then."
(rock, hello, after giving food) "That was pretty good food. A little light on the
phosphorus for my taste, but some have been known to disagree." It snorts goodnaturedly.
(ask about brown eyed rock) "It's not as pretty as me."
(ask about food) "Yummy food? Food is crunchy and nice. I like it with lots of
phosphorus!"
(ask about other) "I don't know much about that."
(touch/pet) "Aren't I smooth?" says the rock.
(look under rock) The rock's underside is perfectly smooth. When you look under it, t
rock says, "Hey! What is this? What about my privacy?"
(admire rock) "You're very perceptive." The rock has no false modesty.
(SNAVIG) A bright purple ball of light issues from your fingers and collapses like a
deflated balloon on the ground. "Great effect!" says the green eyed rock. "That's bet
than most of you soft ones can do here."
(give bread/fish?) "What's that? Dead animal or vegetable matter! You won't fool me
Horrible! It would ruin my complexion!"
(show fragment) "Oh, yum! Give it to me, please!"
(give fragment) "Mmm. That looks good. Just the right size, too." It slides happily ove
the piece of lava and settles comfortably to the ground. You hear a sound like a rasp
a while. The rock blinks contentedly and rises into the air again."
(give other) "That doesn't look very appetizing."
(rock, go DIRECTION) The rock glides smoothly, carefully following the line on the pla
"Yum!" it remarks, parenthetically. [Something you left behind on the ground has be
crushed by the rock.]
(rock go bad DIRECTION) The rock says, "There isn't a line there. Do you want me to
starve to death? Besides, what would my friends think if I was out of line?"
(get off) "That was fun! I'm kind of tired from carrying you, though. Do you have any
more food?"
(?) The rock bobs in place. "That tickles!"
(?) "You have food?"
(?) "Do you want to ride along? [That's what you seemed to want.] Do you have any
more food?"
(DIRECTION while on rock) You’ll have to get down off the rock if you want to walk.
(Examine mountains) The mountains are tall and volcanic.
(if sleep here) The rock says, "You've been quiet a long time. Are you estivating?"
(GREEN, or BROWN eyed?)
(?) The rock seems somewhat surprised to see you, and looks you over carefully befo
answering. "Hello. You're certainly an odd-looking one, though not as odd as the last
was as unprepossessing as you. Of course, I am the most handsome.
[It doesn't pay much attention to you.]
Plain (2,3)
…lines radiating north, east, west and south.
Plain (2,4)
…lines radiating north, west and south.
BROWN EYED ROCK [DARK CUBE]
(examine rock) This rock looks just like the other, except that it has brown eyes.
(if next to rock) The brown eyed rock, mesmerized by the looming presence of the
green eyed rock, does not move.
(rock, hello) The brown eyed rock doesn't respond. It acts sulky and peevish.
(jump on) You leap gracefully to the brown eyed rock, almost slide off, and finally set
yourself carefully on top. Right in front of you is a featureless white cube. The rock
grumbles in irritation. "Go away," it says.
(get off) You jump down, and the brown eyed rock zooms away in a huff.
The brown eyed rock slide gracefully DIRECTION.
(?) He recovers his self-possession.
Plain (3,1)
…lines radiating north, east and south.
Plain (3,2)
…lines radiating north, east, west and south.
Plain (3,3)
…lines radiating north, east, west and south.
Plain (3,4)
…lines radiating north, west and south.
Plain (4,1)
…lines radiating north and east.
Plain (4,2)
…lines radiating north, east and west.
Plain (4,3)
…lines radiating north, east and west.
Plain (4,4)
…lines radiating north and west.
String Room
This is the nexus of a web of multicolored strings and threads of light. They come in
from the far distance in graceful curves or tangled, jagged paths. In the center of
the room they tie together into a ball that looks like gossamer yarn or glowing
cotton candy. One bright set of threads points south to a gap in the weave and
another points east to a similar gap.
Enchanters’ Retreat
(east) Oddly, although there appears to be an exit there, you can't seem to force you
way through it.
(any DIRECTION) Belboz stops you. "You should not even be here. You will disturb ou
The Enchanters' Retreat is an old stone structure perched high in the mountains.
For generations, retired (or even burnt-out) enchanters have come here to breathe
the clean mountain air, watch the stars, and rest from their exertions. The
appointments are simple, the fare is unsophisticated, but those here have a look of
quiet contentment that is easy for you to envy.
BELBOZ (Belboz is meditating here.)
[WROUGHT IRON KEY]
rest."
(examine Belboz) Belboz looks the same as always, ageless at an age when most have
already departed the world. Outwardly, he seems relaxed and carefree.
(hello) "Hello." Belboz doesn't seem pleased to see you.
(when ask first question) "You were here a few days ago, or rather someone who
resembled you strongly enough to be your twin was here. This being betrayed its tru
nature, however, as it did not know facts which would be trifles to even the rawest
apprentice. It fled before I could capture it. Prove to me that you are truly yourself, a
answer me a question.
(1) Which mage had the motto, 'The hardest trick is making it look easy.'?
(2) Who invented the golmac spell?
(3) Who wrote of the Coconut of Quendor?
(4) In Borphee, who was famed for his skill with fireworks displays?
(5) Which of our esteemed colleagues was fabled for his skill at Double Fanucci?
(6) Of the necromancers, who other than (harumph) myself is best-known?
(answer wrong) "Ah! Now I have you, charlatan! Fool me twice? Never!" He rises to h
feet, makes a threatening gesture, and you find yourself transported to a tiny cell de
beneath the earth, all belongings stripped from you. In time, though it takes years an
you are mad long since, you starve.
(else) Belboz looks at you suspiciously. "Please answer my question, or I shall be forc
to conclude you are an imposter."
(answer) "Yes? What is the answer?"
(answer)
(1) Barsap
(2) Barbel
(3) Gustar
(4) Dimithio
(5) Forburn?
(6) Berknip?
"Good! I knew it was you all along. What may I do for you?" He fumbles in his pouch
a moment. "First, let me give you this." He hands you a wrought iron key. "It may pro
useful."
(answer after initial question) "I asked no question," says Belboz.
(ask about cubes) Belboz looks at the cube for a while, turning it over and over in his
hands. [Belboz thinks for a while.] "There is a legend about cubes. When the
foundations of the world were laid down, it is said that the elemental powers and
forces were symbolized during the making by small cubes. The cubes and the forces
were merged in a way that our knowledge no longer comprehends. When the makin
was done, the cubes were hidden away where their powers could not be tampered
with. If someone has gained access to them, or rediscovered the knowledge of their
making, we are in terrible danger. One who had power over these cubes could chang
the very structure of our universe. Such a one would have powers I do not care to
contemplate." Belboz gives back the cube.
(ask about serpent) This serpent brings to mind the great Ouroboros, said to encircle
the world.
(ask about figure/twin/shadow) I have encountered such creatures, but this one is
unfamiliar to me. They are sometimes spirits of the dead, or demons, or even illusory
sendings.
(ask about key) "It was left nearby."
(ask about barbell, etc) "I know little you do not know yourself."
(ask about magic) "I can tell you nothing which you do not already know. We live in
perilous times."
(?)"All in good time."
(help me) The great mage looks tired. "That is beyond my power," he says. "I have giv
up worldly affairs. My time is past, I am old, and the world is now in the care of my
successors. I am convinced you will not fail."
(ask about other) "I know nothing of interest about that."
(ask about other?) Belboz looks at you, but says nothing.
(YOMIN Belboz) You sense peacefulness [overlaid upon a foundation of worry.]
(attack) Belboz stops you with a word of power. [then “I have you” sequence]
OBJECT LIST
SPELL BOOK
[adds in blorple spell after people are
shakes and shivers, and the ice cracks and peels
awayinto X]
(examine) This is your well-used old spell book, first given to you by Belboz years ago
after your original book was lost. (There are some spells written in the book, those fe
still working of the many you once knew. The rest have faded away.)/(He would be
appalled by its current ruined condition. It's water-soaked, and the ink has run. It's
useless.) [As you look at it closely, though, you realize that the book has changed sub
from its previous appearance. There is a new entry: blorple spell (explore an object’s
mystic connections)
(open) The spell book is always open to the right place, but it is also always closed. Th
eliminates tedious leafing and hunting for spells. Many lives have been saved by this
magical innovation.
(open) The spell book is totally unreadable. The ink has run, and the pages are soake
What a mess!
(in dark) The magic writing of the spells casts enough light that you can read them.
(?) Oddly enough, you have never before seen or heard of the blorple spell which now
graces (or defaces?) your book.
(READ BOOK)
My Spell Book
The jindak spell (detect magic)
The malyon spell (animate)
The gnusto spell (write a magic spell into a spell book)
The frotz spell (cause something to give off light)
The rezrov spell (open even locked or enchanted objects)
The yomin spell (mind probe)
The lesoch spell (gust of wind)
[The blorple spell (explore an object's mystic connections)
The snavig spell (shape change)
The espnis spell (sleep)
The caskly spell (cause perfection)
The liskon spell (shrink a living thing)
The throck spell (cause plants to grow)
The tinsot spell (freeze)]
CANNOT GNUSTO
The girgol spell (stop time)
(GNUSTO)
The spell quests around in your hands, looking for your spell book, and not finding it,
fades reluctantly.
The spell is unreadable.
Your spell book begins to glow softly. In a spectacular effort of magic, the powers of
gnusto spell attempt to copy the SPELL into your book, but the spell is too long, too
complicated, and too powerful. The glow fades, but fortunately OBJ remains intact.
Slowly, ornately, the words of the SPELL are inscribed, glowing even more brightly th
the book itself. The book's brightness fades, but the spell remains!
The old book in which it was written crumbles to dust as the last word is copied.
However, the scroll on which it was written vanishes as the last word is copied.
You must have the object from which you are copying in your hands before the gnust
spell will work on it.
(BLORPLE)
Abruptly, your surroundings shift. The spell leaves X behind. As you leave, the CUBE
reappears in your hand.
(LESOCH)
Slowly, teasingly, a small puff of wind begins to blow. It quickly builds to gale force,
then hurricane force, and just as you feel you are about to be swept away, it subside
(SNAVIG)
You have to transform into something, and it has to be something nearby.
This spell can’t be used in a large area, so directing it at an object you are holding wo
work very well… a specific object is unnecessarily precise
(FROTZ)
Someone must have cast the frotz spell on OBJECT because it is glowing brightly.
(extinguish) The magical glow fades[, leaving you in the dark].
Have you forgotten that you already frotzed OBJ?
There is an almost blinding flash of light as OBJ begins to glow! It slowly fades to a les
painful level, but OBJ is now a serviceable light source.
(ESPNIS)
X awakes, looking sheepish.
X continues to sleep.
X falls asleep, yawning lazily. I suppose you expect to hear X snoring?
(CASKLY)
is returned to its original perfection.
looks pretty perfect as is.
(THROCK)
With a rather unsettling lack of uniformity, X returns to its former size.
I guess you have a black thumb.
(LISKON)
You feel stretched, wrung out, and pulled in all directions. You are growing.
Unfortunately, you are rather too large for X you are in, and are crushed by its sides a
you try to resume your full size.
(GIRGOL) At first, nothing happens. Then you notice subtle changes in your
surroundings. Nothing is moving. You can see dust motes hanging in midair, and a tin
gnat, its wings motionless, unknowingly defying gravity.
(JINDAK) Nothing in the vicinity glows. Apparently there is no magic nearby.
(TINSOT)
is covered with a thin film of ice.
shakes and shivers, and the ice cracks and peels away.
(tinsot me) You are covered with a thin film of ice, which shatters as soon as you mov
(LISKON)
shrinks to about a tenth of its former size. [He still looks mean.]
You feel very funny, sort of squashed and pushed and squeezed. Your surroundings a
wavering, then growing, then wavering again. The feeling vanishes, but your
surroundings are ten times their former size... or is it that you are one-tenth your
former size?
Nothing happens, which is unsurprising, as this spell works only on living things.
(MALYON)
Wow! OBJ is now alive! What a magician you are!
As you complete the spell, OBJ comes alive! It blinks, dances a little jig, and a momen
later returns to normal.
(REZROV)
It might be a boon to surgeons if it worked, but it doesn't.
Like swatting a fly with a sledge hammer, if you ask me.
Although you complete the spell, nothing has happened.
MAGIC BURIN
KNIFE
CHUNK OF RYE BREAD
SMOKED FISH
EARTH CUBE
ZIPPER [FLIMSY SCROLL]
[INSIDE ZIPPER] You are in a zipper. Clammy dark mist surrounds you.
(YOMIN)
I'm afraid OBJ doesn't have much of a mind for you to read.
(examine) This is a magical burin, used for inscribing objects with words or runes of
magical import. Such a burin also gives you the ability to write spell scrolls.
(what is a burin) A burin is an engraving and writing tool.
(eat) Yum! That was pretty good, considering that it's a leftover from the luncheon.
(cut bread with knife) You slice off a little piece and eat it. It tastes pretty good, but y
really weren't feeling very hungry.
(eat) Yum! That was pretty good, considering that it's a leftover from the luncheon.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
The word X is now written on the cube.
This is a white cube with the word X written on it.
Structurally, they are identical.
Strangely, you cannot duplicate the pattern.
(examine) This is a silver zipper about two feet long, with very fine teeth.
(open) Opening the zipper reveals a (dimly)/(brightly) lit hole.
(close) The zipper now looks like an ordinary zipper.
(reach into) Odd, you can't really feel anything for a moment, but then, almost as
though something was thrust into your hand, there's something there. Oops, it slippe
away again.
(in dark room?) Enough rays escape to dimly light the area.
(enter hole) It's just big enough to fit in with the zipper fully open. You crawl into a
(bright)/(dark), strange place almost like a big sack. You can sort of stand up, but the
isn't much room to move around. You can’t see your outside surroundings, though. I
as though a mist was in the way.
(close) You are now in a private little world of your own.
FLIMSY SCROLL
STRING CUBE
STAINED SCROLL
DIRTY SCROLL
GOLD COIN
SOFT CUBE
PAIR OF PRUNING SHEARS
WEED (CUTTING)
There is a weed (plant)/(cutting) here. It’s tall [as a tree], with yellow blossoms
dripping pollen.
(open) Opening the zipper reveals the outside world.
(?) There isn't a good place to sit here.
(?) An impossible maneuver under the circumstances.
(?) There's nowhere to go in here.
(get out) You get out of the hole.
(read) The scroll reads “girgol spell: stop time”. The spell is long and complicated.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(read) The scroll reads “caskly spell: cause perfection”.
(read) The scroll reads “throck spell: cause plants to grow”.
(examine) This is a gold 500 zorkmid piece.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(examine) This is a very nice pair of pruning shears, such as a gardener would own.
(examine) This is a ragweed (plant)/(cutting), with yellow blossoms dripping pollen. T
is the only weed you can see anywhere in the meadow. It's like a well-kept garden.
(Prune) You now have a weed cutting.
(pick1) The weed pulls partly out of the ground.
(pick2) The weed pulls out of the ground, taking a good-sized ball of earth with it.
(THROCK) With a spurt of explosive growth, the weed expands to spectacular size. It
now as large as a small tree!
(pick) I suppose you have the logging equipment to do this? If so, I don't see it
anywhere.
(prune) You would need an axe.
(THOCK) The weed grows a few more inches and then stops.
(wait) The weed shrinks back to almost exactly its former size.
(THROCK cutting) The weed shivers, tries very hard to grow in its mutilated state and
then gives up.
(THROCK pulled up) The spell envelops the weed, quests around its roots looking for
something, fails to find it and fades.
DUSTY SCROLL
GOLD BOX [WATER CUBE]
WATER CUBE
BOTTLE [DAMP SCROLL]
DAMP SCROLL
OPAL EYE
AIR CUBE
WHITE SCROLL
(plant pulled up) You plant the weed. It looks like it might even thrive if it gets some
attention.
(?) Not even a weed can grow here.
(plant cutting) You can’t expect it to grow from such a cutting.
(read) The scrolls reads “espnis spell: sleep”.
(examine) The gold box is small, richly ornamented with allegorical figures of dolphin
and cryptic symbols. It has a small latch which (could hold)/(holds) closed the lid.
(open) Opening the gold box reveals a cube.
(lock/unlock) There's no lock, only a latch.
(enter) Strangely, you can't fit it in.
(put OBJ box) There is already something in it.
(put cube in box) When you insert CUBE into the box, there is a brief burst of light, an
the decorations on the box change subtly. They now depict X.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(Examine) It’s closed.
(open in ocean) Open. Oh, no! Something has been damaged as water rushed into th
bottle.
(fill bottle with water) The bottle is now full of [salt] water. [The water has ruined
something in the bottle.]
(Empty) The bottle is now empty of water.
(TINSOT bottle) The water and bottle freeze and shatter into a million pieces!
(read) The scroll reads “liskon spell: shrink a living thing”.
(examine) This is the largest opal you have ever seen.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(read) The scroll reads “tinsot spell: freeze”.
BEAUTIFUL BLUE CARPET [LABEL]
(examine) This is a carpet of unusual design. It is blue, beautifully woven and has a
pattern that looks different each time you look at it. Sometimes, for example, it's an
array of cubes pointing upward, and other times it's the same array pointing
downward. There is a jaunty fringe around the outer edge.
(sit on) You are not sitting on the beautiful blue carpet. At first nothing happens. The
the fringe of the carpet starts to ruffle expectantly.
(flip over) You turn the carpet over and discover a label.
(?), but something fell off
SCRUFFY RED CARPET
BONE CUBE
LABEL
(fly on carpet) The carpet ripples excitedly.
(?) Perhaps some magical assistance?
(?) The carpet doesn't move.
(?) that you have sent the carpet into a fatal stall!
(examine) This is a cheaply made and ugly carpet. It is a garish red and looks ready to
fall apart.
(CASKLY) It's perfectly awful already.
(?) Some of the nap comes off on you.
(sit on) Nothing interesting happens, although the carpet is comfortable.
(flip over) You turn the carpet over and discover nothing.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(read)
The label reads:
"Frobozz Magic Magic Carpet Co.
This carpet is made of all-unnatural fibers. Occupancy by more than one person
is prohibited. Keep to posted speeds. Do not remove this label under penalty of
law.
Abdul el-Flathead
(Printed by the Frobozz Magic Label Co.)
(remove label) As soon as the label is removed, the carpet hits an air pocket and rolls
up. There is no room for you on a rolled-up carpet. You begin to fall.
(cut with knife) As the first thread is cut, the beautiful blue carpet crumbles to dust.
(fly) The carpet takes to the air, rising swiftly. [The huge bird stops, almost stalls, and
flees goggle-eyed with surprise.]
(stand on) You are standing on the carpet. Nothing expected is happening.
A good thought, but a little too late to save you, I'm afraid.
Impossible under the circumstances.
put it down first.
MOLDY BOOK
WROUGHT IRON KEY
LIGHT CUBE
LAVA FRAGMENT
CHANGE CUBE
(get off carpet while flying) As you are in midair, you begin to fall. The carpet loses its
impetus the moment you cease to touch it and accordians like a rug that's been slipp
on. It too begins to fall.
(jump off carpet) This is not the most prudent method of disembarking.
(?) It ripples a little.
(examine) This book has been almost completely destroyed by mold and rot. You can
tell only that it was once a spell book. None of the spells are legible any longer.
[Only one spell is still readable. It says “snavig spell: shape change.”
(CASKLY) The book glows brightly for a moment. [The water quenches it immediately
The mold and rot retreat as you watch. While not good as new, the book looks much
better.
You must be holding the book to copy from it!
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
COMPASS ROSE
A compass rose lies discarded in a corner.
There is a compass rose here.
(examine) Ornate arms indicating the directions grace this lovely silver compass rose
The central knob tells which arm goes with which direction. The arms are decorated
with mythological scenes in finely wrought silver chased with gold. [The compass ros
exactly fits the carving of a compass rose on the north wall of the room.]
(examine while in engraving) Ornate arms indicating the directions grace this lovely
silver compass rose. The central knob tells which arm goes with which direction. The
arms are decorated with mythological scenes. Oddly, some of the arms are finely
wrought silver chased with gold, while (some of the arms are)/(the X arm is) made of
ornate lead or pot-metal chased with brass.
(?) Further, all the other arms are silver again!
NO PLACE CUBE
DARK CUBE
FIRE CUBE
MAGIC CUBE
TRESURE [PILE OF JUNK]
(touch X rune with compass) As the compass rose touches the DIRECTION rune, the a
of the rose labeled “DIRECTION” turns dull and leaden, and an octagonal hole large
enough for you to squeeze through appears in the wall below the rune.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(examine) On closer examination, the treasure is even richer than you thought.
SAND CUBE
[12 CUBES]
VELLUM SCROLL
(examine) The treasure consists of paste jewels, badly crafted gilt vessels and lead
coins.
(CACKLY?) The junk looks valuable again.
(examine) This is a featureless white cube.
(examine) This is a white cube with the word “x1” written on it.
(read) This scroll is blank.
You should write spells, not random words, on spell paper.
That's not a spell! You'll waste good spell paper!
a blank piece of vellum scroll paper.
(examine) This is a burlap sack of medium size. The sack is closed/open.
(open) Opening the sack reveals a flimsy scroll.
(read) The scroll reads “girgol spell: stop time.” The spell is long and complicated.
SACK
FLIMSY SCROLL
(look in sack) The sack is dim inside, but you can see X:
Found in...
Decoration
Property
BLORPLE to...
Belwit Square Moles
Earth
Packed Earth
Ogre Lair
Dolphins
Water
Water Room
Temple
Eagles
Air
Air Room
On Pillar
Salamanders Fire
Fire Room
Plain
Grues
Dark
Dark Room
Hut
Spiders
Connectivity String Room
Ocean Floor
Fireflies Light
Light Room
Dungeon Cell Worms
Death
Boneyard
Roc Nest
Rabbits
Life
Soft Room
Octagonal Room Owls
Mind
No Place
In Pipe
Butterflies Change
Changing Room
Outer Vault
Turtles
Time
Sand Room
Outcropping
Unicorns
Magic
Magic Room
(who is Belboz) Belboz the Necromancer was head of the Accardi-by-the-sea chapter of the Guild of Enchanters until his recent retirement. You
owe your position (and your life) to him, and it is partly because he was your mentor that you have achieved your present position. When he
retired, he expressed an interest in rest, meditation and learning to arrange flowers.
(where is Belboz) I would assume he is still at the Retreat.
(?) You last saw Belboz months ago, when he left for the Enchanters' Retreat in the mountains.
(who is barbel, etc) You studied his career while still an apprentice.
How can I get into the secret conference room?
1. Perhaps you don't need to get in at all.
2. Some magic spells work over a distance.
3. If you use GILCH (astral travel) on yourself, you can pass through the walls taking only your mind, and listen to the meeting within.
What good is the brass lantern?
1. Have you filled it with oil?
2. Have you rubbed it until it's shiny?
3. Have you noticed that it doesn't exist?
THE GOOD ROOM
I've done everything I can think of, and I still can't get to the Dragon cube!
1. Don't read the following if you are not completely stumped. This is the complete unabridged unexpurgated solution and explanation to the
whole puzzle.
2. In fact, some question has been raised whether we should tell you at all.
3. Our censors say not to.
4. On the other hand, you did pay good money for this, so you are entitled to an answer.
5. On the third hand, there isn't even a Dragon cube in this story, so if you are looking for an answer for it, you've got the wrong hint booklet.
(darkness)
(what is a grue) Grues are darkness-loving, enchanterivorous monsters.
There is no answer.
There is no grue here, but I'm sure there is at least one
I'd stay near a light source if I were you!
It makes no sound but is always lurking in the darkness nearby.
There aren't any grues here -- it's light!
You can’t see any grue here (thankfully).
(FROTZ grue) There's a flash of light nearby, and you glimpse a horrible, multifanged creature, a look of sheer terror on its face. It charges away,
gurgling in agony, tearing at its glowing fur.
(?) Nothing happens. Either there are no grues nearby, or they were able to dodge in time.
Oh, no! Something lurking nearby snuck up and devoured you!
(leaving in Dungeon Cell)
As you leave, your consciousness is wrenched as though your memories were being torn apart. You feel that you are being devoured by
monsters and pulled screaming beneath the water simultaneously, again and again. Finally, you succumb.
(leaving in Ruins Room)
As you leave, your consciousness is wrenched as though your memories were being torn apart. You feel that you are being pummeled by huge
rocks and boulders, again and again. Finally, you succumb.
You are floating in a dark, silent realm of nothingness. You don't know how much time passes, but eventually you hear the sound of soft
footsteps. A figure in a dark cloak comes near. In a voice like ashes, it speaks:
(1) "You're obviously not the right choice. What a waste. I'll have to start all over with someone else. All this effort, too."
(2) "I think I may have chosen improperly after all. I warn you, this is your last chance."
(3) "You really don't seem to be able to take care of yourself, do you? A little more circumspection and prudence might be in order, don't
you think?"
(4) "How nice to see you again. Unfortunately, I still have need of you, so this foolishness can't be allowed. You'll have to go back."
You find yourself falling down a deep well of darkness, as the figure recedes into infinite distances, and mocking laughter haunts you for eternity.
(sleep)
You are so exhausted you can't stay awake any longer.
You are X , and the spells you've memorized are becoming confused.
It's impossible to sleep at a time like this!
You settle down to sleep, but you really aren't tired, so you thrash around for a while and then give up.
Ah, sleep! It's been a long day, and rest will do you good.
(?)It's not the best of beds, but at least it's air cushioned. You
on the back of / in the nothingness (zipper) / on the floor
drift off, renewing your powers and refreshing your mind. Time passes as you snore blissfully.
You sleep uneventfully and awake refreshed.
You dream of a group of mages clustered around a magic mirror in which scenes of terrible violence are visible.
You dream of a great hard-eyed monster, its insectile arms dipping and turning to the commands of a sorcerer who stands fearless in front of it.
You dream of an alchemist bent over his retorts, alembics, stinks and smokes.
You dream of strangely garbed magicians floating in midair.
You awaken.
During your nap, some unscrupulous person absconded with your possessions!
(diagnose)
You are [shrunken,] [transformed into a X,] wide awake and in (good health)/(danger of freezing to death).
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
wide awake
beginning to tire
feeling tired
getting more and more tired
(5) worn out
(6) dead tired
(7) so tired you can barely concentrate
(8) moving on your last reserves of strength
(9) practically asleep
(10)barely able to keep your eyes open
(11)about to keel over from exhaustion
(score)
Menace to Society
Charlatan
Parlor Magician
Magician
Novice Enchanter
Enchanter
Expert Enchanter
Novice Sorcerer
Sorcerer
Expert Sorcerer
Novice Mage
Mage
Archimage
Scientist
(time)
It’s early morning.
It’s mid-morning.
It’s mid-day.
It’s late afternoon.
It’s early evening.
It’s late evening.
(spell stuff)
The gnusto, rezrov, and frotz spells are yours forever. Other than that, you have (no spells committed to memory)/(X committed to memory.)
The scroll is wet, and the spell cannot be read.
You must be holding the spell scroll you wish to copy!
You can’t do that without having the spell in your book.
You haven't written that spell into your book yet. Until you do, you can't memorize the spell.
(moldy book) You can learn spells only from your own spell book.
You already know that spell by heart.
You can't memorize a spell without a spell book.
You can’t concentrate well enough to learn the spell.
You try, but you just can't memorize those complex syllables again. They slip out of your memory as soon as you cram them in.
(You easily)/(Using your best study habits, you) learn the SPELL [yet another time].
You have so much buzzing around in your head, though, that it's likely that something may have been forgotten in the shuffle.
Your mouth cannot form the words of spells while you are changed into a CREATURE.
You can't cast a spell while underwater!
As you must remember from Thaumaturgy 101, you cannot cast a spell upon itself, or upon the scroll it is written on.
X is unreadable.
As you cast the spell, X vanishes!
SPELL is not memorized, and you aren't holding a scroll on which it is written.
The casting feels wrong, and sure enough,
Spell books are copy-protected to prevent spell thieves from making spell scrolls from another mage's spell book.
You try hard to copy the obscure runes and ideographs of the spell, but your mind just can't comprehend them, and your fingers just can't follow
the curves and strokes.
(spell casting random errors)
a huge ball of green light appears, then dissipates.
your fingers grow numb.
you are momentarily blinded.
there is a distant rumble of thunder.
your whole body feels as if your funny bone has been struck.
(misc)
(?) Items on the floor are wet and ruined, of course.
(?), and mocking laughter haunts you for eternity.
(drink ?) It's bitter and you spit it out immediately.
(?) There is no sign of the lava.
(?channel) is borne away by the flood.
(?) is glowing with a faint blue glow.
(write on me?) You’re not a tattoo artist!
(? me) You're getting ahead of yourself.
(? Me) You would know better than I.
(forget) You can never forget, uh, whatever it was.
(damn) Moral turpitude is grounds for expulsion from the Circle!
(feed?) Spells are intangible.
(hello) Mages never say "Hello" to OBJ.
(help) If you're really stuck, you can order maps and InvisiClues Hint Booklets using the order form that came in your package.
(attack) You miss. (Mages aren't given a lot of training in this sort of thing.)
(kick) What a grisly idea.
(gesture) It's impolite to point.
(fire OBJ) Don't ever bother applying for a job as an armaments expert.
(cavort) Wasn't that fun?
(tortue) An appalling idea!
(take bad item) You're an enchanter, not a garbage collector.
(jump) This was not a safe place to try jumping. You should have looked before you leaped.
(look through) You've never mastered an X-ray vision spell.